


The Jealousy Algorithm

by mphs95



Category: The Big Bang Theory (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-03-26 02:27:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3833572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mphs95/pseuds/mphs95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place during Season 8 episode The Comic Book Store Regeneration.  Sheldon's jealousy over Kripke's gift to Amy caused him to spill the beans on a secret that hurts their friends Leonard and Penny.  In turn, Amy has a revelation of her own, as do Leonard and Penny.  When a tragedy occurs the same day, will it help the group reunite?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Sorry about the delay to this story, but I had older fictions I wanted to work on, including PR. For my Bones fans out there, don't you worry. I will write a B & B story again and will include BBT in some way.
> 
> BTW, thanks to Hazelra7 who gave great insight to a crappy first draft, including a couple of dialogue suggestions. Enjoy.

_"_ _So what are we talking, ten bucks?"_

Penny looked at her friend. "No, Amy. I don't want any money. The fact that you and Sheldon thought that I should be tested as a lab experiment shows me just how little you think of me!"

Amy saw her friend's eyes watering and knew she screwed up. "Penny—"

"No. I-I'll just talk to you later." The blonde said before she went back into her apartment and slammed her door.

Amy felt remorseful and knew that she owed her friend an apology. However, right now she needed to talk to her boyfriend…and give him a buttock kicking.

Inside, Sheldon heard the girls talking and felt guilty. He wanted to make Amy feel bad as he did earlier when Kripke was talking to them, but instead he felt worse. Before he could ponder further, he heard the door knob move.

Sheldon quickly finished pulling up his pants and zipped them. "I'm not decent!"

The door opened quickly and Amy charged through before closing the door. "You sure aren't at this moment, Sheldon Lee Cooper! Why did you tell Penny about the experiments? You did explain to her that we were only using her and Leonard as controls to measure a human baseline, right?"

Amy heard no response, but she wasn't surprised. "Of course, you didn't."

"I had to tell her, Amy."

"Why?! We originally agreed not to so the experiment would not be compromised while in motion. When it was concluded we decided to keep it between us."

Sheldon got fed up. "Because she kept telling I had to just  _'let it go'_. She told me to visualize my frustration as a pen, and then let it go. Why would let go of this pen?"

He held up what looked like an imaginary pen. "This is not just any pen. This is a great pen because it's my pen! Let it go…how completely stupid is that?"

Amy folded her arms against her chest as she realized what he was talking about. "Quite smart actually. Visualization is considered by many to be an effective means in letting go of stupid issues…like me assisting Kripke with a mathematical issue!"

"You gave him the tool to make me—I mean Dark Matter—look bad!"

Amy didn't miss Sheldon's Freudian slip. "How did I make you look bad?"

"Dark Matter may be new, but it's shy and doesn't like its feelings hurt when you help the popular and overhyped String Theory—"

Amy walked closer and noted that Sheldon wouldn't look her in the eye. "No, Sheldon. You initially said it made you look bad. Tell me how giving a suggestion to one scientist did that? He was your enemy but he helped us with Fun with Flags, so what's your problem?"

Sheldon couldn't find the words to use, so he went with what he knew. "You gave him your mathematics! You're supposed to only give me your mathematics!"

Amy stood for a moment stunned as she realized what the real issue was. Usually, she would be excited for this type of result. However, she was upset because instead of just confronting her with his real issue, Sheldon's anger led to him to hurt one, soon to be two people. Her fury overtook her and she dropped a bombshell.

"You mean like how you gave Kripke details on how we used your model rocket next to your bed for coitus?!"

All the color drained from Sheldon's face. He meant to tell her a long time ago, but kept putting it off. Penny told him a long time ago he should tell her before someone else did, but he was afraid to. Now the time he was dreading came to fruition.

"I-I…Um—"

"What's the matter, Doctor Cooper, cat got your tongue?"

"Um…"

"Of course, my boyfriend wouldn't make up the fact of us having sex as the reason his work may not compare to his colleague's, would he? Because that would be insulting to his girlfriend and make her reputation less that what she actually deserved."

Sheldon could see the hurt in his girlfriend's eyes. "Amy—"

For the neurobiologist, feelings that she thought had been dealt with rose back to the surface with a vengeance and she needed to get away.

"I came here to talk to you because I felt guilty for upsetting you, Sheldon, but right now, I sure as hell don't want to be around you."

 _'_ _Oh no…'_  Sheldon thought. "Amy, wait."

"No. You used me as a scapegoat then and you used me again now to soothe your precious ego and gain the upper hand. I'm out of here."

"Amy, don't go!"

"Take one step closer and I'll get your model rocket and put it where your dark matter doesn't shine!"

Before Sheldon could respond, Amy stormed out of the apartment, leaving him behind. Suddenly he had a grimace as he unconsciously gripped his butt cheeks together.

"That would hurt."

* * *

When Amy got home a short time later, she was almost over her mad. She forgave him for it soon after he returned from his trip, but bringing it up hurt her again.

She remembered that day she found out about her boyfriend's lies.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_It was July and she was upset for missing Sheldon's call the night before._ _Before she knew it, she was in his office, graciously let in by Alex. After a promise to lock up, Amy was alone._

_She turned around his white board to look at his train. She knew how protective he was of that picture and the fact he let her gaze upon it was a huge extension of trust for the physicist._ _She was so into her thoughts she didn't hear Barry Kripke walk in until she heard his Elmer Fudd accent._

_"_ _Hey, if it isn't the lovely Doctor Amy Fowler. What brings you here? Missing Sheldon and his model rocket? Must be if you are looking at that train he won't anyone look at."_

_Startled, she turned around and saw the physicist with what Penny would call a 'shit eating grin'. "No, I came in here to get something for Sheldon. What are you talking about with his model rocket?"_

_Barry walked closer. "You can drop the innocent act with me. I know about all about how your freaky sex life made his research for our grant application a while back not as good as it should have been. He said when you two get together, and I quote, "Boy Howdy, is it magic."_

_The scientist laughed. "Man…a model rocket. I bet you can't wait to use that with Cooper when he gets back. I need to find someone like you soooo bad."_

_Amy felt her stomach drop as she realized what the other scientist was saying. She remembered that time and how Sheldon was depressed when he spoke to her about Kripke's research being better than his. The nausea competed with the sudden rage that flowed inside of her as she realized what her boyfriend did._ _She had a comeback on the tip of her tongue when she saw it._

_Barry Kripke's look of satisfaction at one-upping her boyfriend._

_As much as she wanted to deny it, her love for Sheldon superseded the need to correct Kripke's thoughts._

_"_ _Barry, if I were you, I would set my sights lower. I'm one of a rare breed of genius and imagination, much like my Sheldon. You will never find someone like me. Now, please show yourself out."_

_Looking in the drawers, she grabbed the first thing she saw, a flash drive in an attempt to hold her shaking hands steady. She closed the drawer and headed towards the door, giving the stunned physicist a shove outside. When she was alone, Amy quickly walked away before she lost her composure in a public place._

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

After her unfortunate encounter with Kripke, Amy prepared a scathing lecture to give to Sheldon when he got home, but when the time came, she almost immediately noted a change in his demeanor. When they talked the night he came home and she laid down the law with him, he seemed truly sorry for hurting her. It was then she knew that things were different between them and that the past didn't matter…at least then.

Since Sheldon's return, when she stood up for herself, he seemed to have more respect for her. He also made more of an effort in their relationship, including in the area of intimacy.

On their last date night, Sheldon shocked the hell out of her in a very pleasant way.

_*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*_

_The couple were on Amy's couch making out. Only a week earlier they experimented with French kissing and each discovered that the other was quite talented with their tongues._

_To her delight, Sheldon eventually pushed her down on the couch with him on top of her. She couldn't help but moan at feeling his body weight along with his warmth. His hands caressed her above her clothes and above the waist._

_Suddenly, Sheldon's left hand pulled her blouse from her skirt and through three layers of clothes, made its way to Amy's right side of her body. Feeling the heat from his hand made her moan, which seemed to fuel Sheldon's actions as he made gentle circles in that area before slowly moving up to right below her bra._

_She thought she was going to lose her mind as his hand felt like pure electricity through her. Amy almost exploded as he traveled back towards her abdomen and caressed her gently. It was her most hated area of her body part, but somehow that thought was taken over a feeling of slight dampness that resulted from that touch._

_Just when Amy thought it wouldn't get any better, Sheldon caressed her left breast on top of her bra cup. She heard his growl before he came up for a breath of air and his lips traveled to her neck towards her carotid artery._

_"_ _I love feeling your heart beat, Amy."_

_Sheldon's words make Amy feel like her bra was a strait jacket as she internally begged for him to put his hand under the cup. She remained speechless from her boyfriend's machinations, but managed to move her hands down towards his posterior where she caressed him before wrapping her right leg around his left, pulling him closer._

_He groaned before his hand roughly pushed underneath the bra cup, causing her to see stars. Between Sheldon's talented hands on her breast and lips on her neck, Amy what she considered her first true orgasm as she soaked her panties._

_"_ _Ooohhh God, Sheldon!"_

_Sheldon heard his girlfriend's guttural moan and looked up. When he saw her flushed face and erratic breathing, he mentally referenced the book he got from Leonard and Penny and realized where it came from._

_"_ _Did you…you know?"_

_"_ _Yes, Doctor Cooper, I did. Congratulations."_

_'_ _She had an orgasm. I GAVE HER AN ORGASM!' He yelled internally before putting on a face of stone, but very unsuccessful._

_He knew he should be disgusted because Amy potentially leaked body fluids on him, but he wasn't. Instead, his confidence shot up at the fact his girlfriend peaked from his touch. From what he had heard over the years from his friends, sometimes they had struck out in this endeavor._

_Sheldon finished his thoughts and looked at his girlfriend with a satisfied smile. "Of course. I excel at everything."_

_"_ _Of course, Doctor Cooper." It was then she saw the time. "Sheldon, it's after ten. I should get you home. On our next date, I will make sure to reciprocate the favor."_

_His eyes lit up at the thought, which didn't go unnoticed by Amy. "Of course, Doctor Fowler. Ours is an equal relationship now, of course."_

_"_ _Give me just a minute." Amy said before she disappeared into her bedroom. She discarded her soaked panties and put on a clean pair. When done, she came back out into the living room, grabbed her purse and keys, and left the apartment with Sheldon._

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Needing to unwind, she sat on the couch and turned on the television. She needed to numb her brain for a while. Turning on the television, she saw an old episode of  _Bones._  Seeing that made her think of Penny, who got her hooked on that show in the first place. Quickly changing the channel, she found  _Pride and Prejudice_  on BBC America. Settling in, she got comfortable and watched.

It would do her boyfriend some good to sit for a while and think about this actions.

* * *

Sheldon sat in silence.

_'_ _She knows. I'm not a good boyfriend.'_

Until a year ago, he declared to anyone that he didn't need coitus, kissing, and touching, but it was a lie. He wanted kissing…touching…and coitus, but only with Amy.

During his trip last summer, he finally admitted to himself he was not only in love with her, but attracted to her body as well as her brain.

This fact made him weak like his friends, which he hated. After his return though, he realized he didn't care anymore because to his surprise, he enjoyed the naughty feelings his cute little lump of wool brought out in him. However, they also scared the crap out of him.

Several times, he wanted to ask her to stay the night, but he was afraid that their recent forays into intimacy would go beyond making out. Sometimes he was ready for coitus, and other times he wasn't, frustrating him to no end.

He sat there thinking about why he would do something so vile as to tell Kripke he was fornicating with his girlfriend to protect his insufficient research. Then he knew.

He was a selfish idiot.

He wanted to take Penny's advice to be honest, but always chickened out. When he and Amy finally expressed how they felt about each other, he got even more scared. He knew that he would die without her.

His stupid arrogance had felt like a lead in his gut, but on the other hand, he was never as happy as he was the last few months with Amy. Nothing could take her away from him.

Then Kripke brought his girlfriend that bottle of wine.

Was it really just  _a 'thank you'_  or was it more? He knew that wine was something shared with friends, like Amy did with the girls. However, he also knew that Penny shared it with Leonard, that Bernadette shared it with Wolowicz, and that Raj shared it with Emily. Wine was when not shared with friends, an item used as a precursor to coitus for a couple.

Was that it? Was the inferior physicist wanting to share a glass with his neurobiologist in an attempt to court her away from him?

Sheldon felt all his insecurities come back with a vengeance. He remembered from his friends' history with their significant others that a gift of wine lead to other things, like flowers.

If there was a second time, how would Amy help him? In return, would Barry give her the one thing he wasn't ready to give?

Would she leave him behind?

Suddenly, he felt water behind his eyes and a few drops fell. He tried to wipe them away and sniffled quickly, but it was too late as several more fell as his thoughts were racing.  He wanted to tell Amy why her working with him upset him so much, but he couldn't get the words out. How could he tell her though? He didn't want her to look at him as less that a  _Homo novus_.

Sheldon Cooper is nothing but eloquent and intelligent.

It was then he thought about what Amy said when he came back.   _'_ _Sheldon, it's okay with me that you're not perfect.'_

Suddenly, he knew that he could tell his girlfriend anything. She was the one person in this world who never made fun of him or make him feel stupid for his feelings. Amy would try to change his mind if she felt it was necessary, but in the end, she always supported him.

Blowing his nose, he composed himself as he grabbed his phone and sent a message to Leonard to come get him. Less than a minute later, he felt a buzz and almost died when he saw a picture of his roommate and Raj with Nathan Fillion. When he read the message he exhaled.

**_Don't stalk him, Sheldon! Raj & I r heading back to c shop. Call gf to pick u up._ **

"LeVar Burton didn't file a restraining order so nyah!" Sheldon sneered before sticking his tongue out at the phone.

His roommate was violating the Roommate Agreement, but he would deal with that later. Right now, he needed to find transportation and his bus pants were in his hamper. He thought about asking Penny but she was annoyed with him and Amy. Suddenly, he heard Penny's door close and thought of a solution.

"Don't you worry, my lovely moth. Your blazing flame is coming to you."

* * *

After  _Pride and Prejudice_  ended, Amy sat nursing a cup of chamomile tea while playing with her Hulu Plus. Seeing that the latest episode of  _'Dancing With the Stars'_  on she selected it. After the ads played and the show started, she watched each of the stars with the dancers and she marveled at each couple.

_'_ _Dancing with my Sweet Baboo, we would kick their asses if given a chance.'_

"Ugh!" Amy growled as she thought about him again. It was what led her to realize it was almost 3:30 PM. Sheldon and her were expected at Stuart's comic shop to help set up later, but she didn't want to go. She wanted her boyfriend to stew a little bit longer. It was good for him. As she smiled at the thought, she heard it.

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. 'Amy'_

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK 'Amy'_

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK 'Amy'_

She rolled her eyes for a moment and considered ignoring him, but he beat her to the punch.

_'_ _I know you are in there Amy Farrah Fowler.'_

Resigned, Amy got up and opened her door. When she saw her boyfriend's slightly reddened eyes, the last residual of her anger was gone. When she took in the entire scene, she saw her her tall, Texan boyfriend standing with Penny's bike with a basket and flowers on it.

"Why do you have Penny's bike?"

"I borrowed it."

It took all she had to not burst out laughing, but her mirth quickly died with one look into her boyfriend's blue eyes before it was blocked out by her heart beating rapidly. "W-what are you doing here, Sheldon?"

Sheldon felt his stomach drop as he forgot the speech he wanted to say to her, only getting out the following words.

"You're pretty and sexy and alluring and I don't want Kripke to take your math away from me."

He took Amy's stunned look and slightly opened mouth to mean she was annoyed. "Son of a biscuit! I meant to say that…I had a speech planned…I was going to say…I'm sorry…."

Before Sheldon could speak more, Amy threw her arms around him. "You're handsome and sexy and alluring, too. I don't want a girl to take your math away from me, either."

After a moment, Sheldon realized where he was. "Amy, can we go inside? Some things should not be advertised like Penny and Leonard always do."

Amy laughed _. 'There's my Sheldon.'_

Amy backed up as Sheldon wheeled the bike inside. She barely turned around after shutting the door when her boyfriend pushed her against it and kissed her feverishly while muttering "I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…I was being a feminine hygiene product…I love you."

She was caught up in the moment before she reluctantly pushed her boyfriend away to look at him. "Sheldon, you were jealous, okay, but you weren't a douche. Who told you about…Penny, right?"

Sheldon nodded. "Yes I was and I'm not just talking about today. I told Kripke we were having coitus to save face. I made you look cheap when you aren't."

Amy exhaled as she remembered their fight. "Well, I kept your secret."

Sheldon was stunned. "Why? How did you find out anyway?"

Amy took one step closer. "I helped you because I love you. As for how I found out, remember the night last summer when you couldn't reach me?"

"Yes, you said that three monkeys escaped their cages and wreaked havoc in the lab because the grad student in charge that night was making out with his girlfriend in the decontamination shower."

"Now ex-grad student, but I digress. I went to your office the next day because I missed you. While I was looking at your train, Barry showed up and insinuated that we would be using your model rocket in a vulgar manner when you returned. At least you described our non-existent lovemaking as  _'magic'_ "

Sheldon felt his insides boil.  _'How dare that wannabe physicist Barry Kripke say such vile things to HIS Amy! He would show that troglodyte what would happen when a man talked to his girlfriend that way. He would—'_

"I'm sure after you finish plotting Kripke's demise in your brain, your next question will be why I would help him. The answer is I didn't help him, I helped science."

Sheldon's brain was momentarily stunned before the wheels turned again.  _'Of course she would put science ahead of her own feelings. It's one of the reasons why I love her so much.'_

He came back to reality when he saw his girlfriend watching him. "I'm sorry I made you look bad. A good boyfriend doesn't do that." He gulped for a moment before continuing. "He doesn't sell his girlfriend out either because he is in a pique about an inferior male."

Amy saw he recognized what he did wrong. Sheldon of up to several months ago wouldn't have resorted to hoofing it over to her apartment and confess his feelings, much less admit he wasn't perfect. For that, she could accept his apology.

"It's all right, Sheldon and you're not a douche."

Sheldon had a confused look on his face intermingled with flushed cheeks. "But I acted like an ass."

"You did, but to be considered a douche is to be a special caliber of an ass that you could never be Sheldon Cooper. Besides, a feminine hygiene product would never steal his neighbor's girly bike and ride fifteen miles over so he could apologize."

She exhaled before continuing. "I'm sorry that my helping Barry upset you so much. I just figured that you were done with string theory. All I did was give him an idea and some math suggestions. That's it. I don't see how it warranted a bottle of wine as a thank you, but it's appreciated just the same."

Sheldon felt bad. "Don't apologize, Amy. You were just looking out for the better good of science. I just get nervous when substandard men give you attention."

Amy smirked. "Only substandard men?"

Sheldon's face turned into one of annoyance. "Of course substandard. There is no one better than Doctor Sheldon Lee Cooper. In fact—"

"Sheldon! I was just kidding, okay?" Amy said before she bent to pick up a small flower that fell from the bike basket.

The physicist visibly sighed in relief before in his full view was her beautiful posterior. Suddenly, other forces were in their midst.

"Amy, get up."

She had just picked up the flower and was about to attach it to the basket when she was suddenly pulled into her boyfriend's arms and saw his eyes turn into a deep navy blue. "Hoo!"

"How much time until we have to be at the comic shop?" Sheldon asked in a gravel voice.

"A-about thirty minutes. Why?"

"I think we're going to be late." Sheldon croaked as he saw the green in Amy's eyes go from jade to emerald.

Amy was mesmerized. "I-I guess we will be. I hope Stuart understands."

"He better."

Those were Sheldon's last words as they came together in a rush before the physicist slammed the other scientist into the door. Teeth clashed as hands roamed over bodies. Before they knew it, Sheldon was naked from his pants up while Amy only had her bra on with her skirt and tights.

After a few more moments of them making out, Sheldon stopped panting heavily. "Amy, there's something I've been thinking about of late. I'm still not ready for coitus, but do you trust me?"

The neurobiologist's cylinders were malfunctioning except for one, but remembered something she saw with Sheldon recently. Smirking, she spoke.  "Implicitly"

 _'_ _Oh my God, she quoted Star Trek!'_  Sheldon's brain managed to process before his right arm went under his girlfriend's rear end and picked her up.

"Hoo!" Amy said breathlessly.

"Wrap your legs around me!"

Amy could only comply and when she was secured around Sheldon, he carried her to the island separating her living room from her kitchen. After kicking a stool out of the way he dropped her on the counter before he kissed her again. His main gustatory muscle made a trail of her lips. When Amy granted access their tongues commingled together in a dance that stripped their minds clean.

The neurobiologist couldn't control her hands as they explored the muscles of his back. She knew that her boyfriend filled out his T-shirts more over the last year and a half and he recently confessed to his secret hobby of hackey sack. As far as she was concerned, he could do it until the day she died if it made his physique this good.

Suddenly, she felt his lips leave and barely registered the cold when his lips made a sensuous trail down her neck until he found her carotid artery. He started nibbling and licking, making Amy's panties damp with satisfaction.

Sheldon's hands made their way to his girlfriend's breasts. After a few minutes of massaging and reveling in their warmness through the cups, he needed more. On instinct, his hands moved to the back to unhook it like he had seen in the movies, but it was difficult. He was about to give up when he felt her smaller hands on top of his before they were moved to the front.

He felt stupid until he felt his chin moved up and all he could see was a sea of green and the smile that he loved in between taking in a breath. All of his confidence, along with his horniness came back as he unsnapped the opening and gazed into the beauty of Amy Farrah Fowler's breasts without a barrier for the first time. When he moved to caress them, he was instantly jolted by her moans and needed to hear more of those sounds.

Looking down, a dark red bud taunted him relentlessly. Ignoring the voice in his head saying it was dirty, he took it in his mouth and sucked it lightly.

"Oh shit, Sheldon!" Amy groaned.

Inspired his girlfriend's uncharacteristic curse at his actions and feeling her squeeze him with her legs, he looped one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulder.  Pulling her close, he sucked the nipple like the cherry popsicles of his youth. His girlfriend's gentle caresses on his back turned into nail digging, only fueling the flame more.

Before Sheldon knew it, he was grinding against Amy's core as she held him close on the kitchen counter. The friction felt delicious for both and his hands were itching to touch her special place, but he wasn't ready for that.

Besides, the familiar tinging in his spine told him he was getting close.

"Amy, I'm close. Really close." He said in a breathy tone.

For Amy, she was almost at her peak and wanted it now. Determined, she squeezed Sheldon further until their naked torsos touched each other and their lips were back on each other. Suddenly, she was seeing stars as her nails dug deep into her boyfriend's back, drawing minute amounts of blood.

Sheldon simultaneously felt Amy's nails and her wetness through her tights. He felt her shiver but when he looked into her eyes it was the burst of a new, deeper green that broke his tenuous control as his excitement burst out of him to merge with the wet spot already on him. Touch, taste, hearing, and smell became a jumble as the physicist rode out what he now knew was his first true orgasm.

The couple held each other tight as their bodies recovered and each came back to reality. They came together in a kiss before returning to hold each other while on the kitchen counter. The room was silent until Sheldon finally spoke up.

"So this is what it's like when couples fight and make up. When we have coitus, Boy Howdy is it going to be magic."

Amy responded by bursting out in laughter, which was followed by Sheldon cracking up.


	2. Chapter 2

            

* * *

Amy took a quick shower while Sheldon waited in her living room. He sat patiently, happy they made up, but still a little breathless from making out on the kitchen counter.

He turned red for a moment as he remembered what inspired him today, a scene from a movie he watched on his laptop one night during of Leonard's nights with Penny. It was one of many he forced himself to view in his bedroom with the door locked as part of his coitus research.

At first, he felt guilty because the only naked woman he wanted to see was his Amy. It almost made him stop his research, but then he would remember he was a scientist. All scientists worth their salt conducted extensive investigations to obtain knowledge, which was important to be the best, as he always was. When the time came, it would be perfect for his Amy. If her moans were any indication, he was on a roll.

Then he pictured his wanton vixen in the shower and started to feel the special feelings come back.

_'Oh to be the soap on her lovely boobies.'_ he thought to himself.

When he heard the bathroom door open, Sheldon panicked and pictured himself teaching a class of athletes' basic physics so he could calm down. It finally worked just as Amy came out into the living room less than ten minutes later.

* * *

After putting Amy's back seat down, the couple were able to squeeze Penny's bike into the car through the trunk. A short time later, the two were back at Sheldon's apartment with Amy waiting for her boyfriend to shower and be presentable.

While Amy sat in the living room in her spot, she remembered their dalliance on her kitchen counter. Never again would be able to look at that area, much less do anything there the same ever again.

However, she didn't care as she now knew her boyfriend desired her sexually. Her mind wandered until she had a vision of her boyfriend in the shower, with the soap dripping down his manly chest to his treasure trove.

_'Oh to be the soap on those pectorals and obliques.'_

* * *

When Sheldon emerged ten minutes later, the two quickly cleaned Penny's bike before putting it back in her apartment. While the physicist was locking 4B's door, he heard words of dread.

"You do know now that you can't admonish Penny for using her key to steal milk because you did the same thing with her bike, right?"

Sheldon froze before turning around. "But Amy—" He was stopped by his girlfriend's  _'I mean business face_. "Yes, Amy."

"Good. You also know that we owe Leonard and Penny an apology as well, right?"

The physicist pulled a face. "But I only told Penny."

"Who is going to tell her fiancé, Leonard. Hence, the double apology if they will talk to us."

"But they both did better than all the chimps excluding Barnabas, Amy."

Amy inhaled. "Yes, but in hindsight, we should have got two grad students, or maybe used Howard and Bernadette, or Ba-Stuart and Alex. Penny sometimes feels insecure about her intelligence—

"Well, she should with that community college education." Sheldon would have said more, but was stopped by Amy's scary face, the one she had before cutting into brains.

"As I was saying, Penny can be insecure because we are all college grads and PhDs except for Howard. What we did made it feel ten times worse for her, I know it. Besides, she has an intelligence in an area none of us do and that is in what lesser people than us call  _'street smarts'_ "

Sheldon thought for a moment. "That's true. Also, Leonard does envy me and maybe using him as a test subject was a bad idea. Howard would have been better. I know you almost said Kripke, but he would have made an excellent subject."

Amy smiled. "Well, I think we learned a lesson from this. We need to get going as it's after four o'clock."

"Oh, of course."

Sheldon took Amy's hand in his as they both smiled walking down the stairs.

* * *

Ninety minutes later, Sheldon saw the sadness in Howard's eyes as they gathered around him. Everyone knew that while their friend complained about his mother, she was also one of his best friends.

Looking over, he saw his diminutive friend on the phone with President Siebert arranging his friend's leave of absence from CalTech, while Penny was on the other side doing the same for Bernadette at their company.

He didn't know what he would do if he lost Leonard…and hoped to never find out.

Hearing his friend finishing his task, Sheldon headed over to him. When his friend ended the call, he tapped his shoulder.  "Leonard."

Leonard heard the unusual soft voice, but knew who it was instantly. Not wanting to be a pushover, he stiffened his posture before turning around. "Sheldon."

Sheldon cleared his throat. "Um, sorry for everything. We just needed a human baseline reading and you two were the first available. We should have used Kripke instead. You can have my pen if it makes you feel better."

Leonard watched as Sheldon pulled an imaginary pen out of his pocket and held it out. He knew Sheldon didn't apologize easily and his remark about Kripke made his residual anger go away, along with remembering all the times he made fun of Sheldon's naiveté.

"Barry would have been better." Leonard said with a smirk as he relaxed himself.

Sheldon was still iffy on sarcasm, but he was sure that his roommate's response was genuine…mostly sure. He wasn't sure if things were settled or not and he needed to know, he asked, "Are we good?"

"We're good." Leonard saw his friend's shoulders visibly relax. "Keep your pen, too."

"Oh goodie!" Sheldon said before putting his imaginary object into his coat pocket.

The two looked around. Seeing that no one would notice them, the two roommates came together in a hug that lasted for two seconds before both broke it mutually.

"Well, that's enough of that." Sheldon said.

"All good." Leonard replied before the two went back to their significant others.

* * *

Amy witnessed the  _'apology'_  Sheldon gave Leonard and was happy that they looked reconciled. Building up her hope, she walked over to Penny, who was talking to Stuart. When he walked away, she moved in.

"Penny, I'm really sorry about the experiments. We just needed two human subjects quickly and—"

Penny saw her friend looked genuinely contrite but couldn't see past her own hurt. "Sure Amy, whatever. Listen, I'm going to talk to Howard and Raj for a few minutes. Excuse me."

Amy moved out of the way, wounded by the way her friend brushed her off so quickly, but she knew she deserved it.

* * *

Bernadette saw the exchange between the two friends and knew that something went down. She saw Penny headed towards Howard and Raj. Needing a break from the sadness, the microbiologist walked over to her friend, who was standing alone.

"Amy, why is Penny mad at you?"

Amy made her face a mask and moved to change the subject. "We're cool. Don't forget, we're besties. Enough about me. How are you doing? What about Howard?"

Bernadette knew her friend's diversion tactics like the back of her hand. She wanted to delve further, but she saw her Howie about to fall apart and knew she needed to get him out of there.

"I'm fine. He's trying to keep it together. Listen, we're going to take off soon because we need to make arrangements to go to Florida."

Amy exhaled, grateful that the Honey Badger was easing off before pulling her into a hug. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Be there for Howard or me when I need a break." Bernadette said with a crack in her voice.

After a moment, Amy and Bernadette pulled apart. "Sure. You let me know if you need anything else, all right?"

The microbiologist nodded before walking back to her husband. Amy watched the two together and felt guilty for the times she joined in the teasing of Howard. When she saw him kiss his wife softly without hesitation in front of others, an unpleasant feeling overcame her.

Despite all their progress, Sheldon was still reluctant to give any affection when people were around. Occasionally this thought led to one that secretly haunted her.

Was Sheldon really into her sexually, or was he just doing it to please her?

Suddenly, Amy left her dark thoughts.  _'Of course he is into her that way. Why else would he have dry humped me on my kitchen island earlier?'_ He wanted forgiveness, but that's a pretty extreme way to get it.

But Sheldon is an extreme individual.

_'No! Go away bad thoughts!'_  Amy shook her head to push those feelings away. He told her he loved her and was now expressing affection with her when they were together.

As much as Amy loved his slow turnaround, she just wished sometimes that he would free himself to do it in front of others.

When she looked over, she saw her physicist smile at her. Feeling guilty, she walked over to join him, who was now with the others, except Leonard and Penny.

* * *

Less than ten minutes later, Penny was stewing as she watched Sheldon and Amy talk to Howard and Bernadette at the door of the comic shop. Leonard looked back at her and sighed. "Penny, they've each apologized. They're our best friends. Please let it go."

Penny's face turned red. "I swear to God if I hear that sentence again, I will kill the person who says it."

"Well, it's true. Howard lost his mother, who was probably his best friend outside of Bernadette and Raj. Let's be grateful that we still have ours, all right?"

Penny looked at her fiancé in astonishment. "You and Sheldon spoke for like thirty seconds then did a man hug.  Why aren't you more annoyed with this?"

"We're guys. That what we do. Besides, they only did it as a guideline and we were the most convenient. He drives me insane, but he's my best friend.  Not that long ago, you told me that while Amy still creeps you out sometimes, she's also been the best friend you've ever had."

She heard her fiancé's words, but couldn't bring herself to push down her mad. "That's what makes this all feel so worse. Amy knows I'm a bit…sensitive about it. I don't like people making me feel stupid Leonard. I dealt with that shit back home in Nebraska, I dealt with it as an actress, and I deal with it now with some of the other sales associates."

Leonard saw his fiancee look away and knew there was more to the story. "What's really wrong, Penny?"

Penny exhaled as she thought about what really upset her.  Something flashed, but she blew it off as her mad creeped back to the surface. "Amy is supposed to be my friend.  I thought we were past all that crap in the beginning where she talked down to me and respected me as a person, but I guess not if she's using me as a comparison to chimps."

Leonard saw she was hurting. "I'm sorry, Penny. I know you're upset right now, and I hate to sound insensitive, but Howard needs us to be there for him right now. Can you put it aside until tomorrow?"

Penny nodded before she took his hand before he led her to the group. She hugged Howard first before turning to Bernadette, but her petite friend's whispered words surprised her.

"Penny, why aren't you talking to Amy?"

The blonde was surprised, thinking she covered her feelings from everyone. "Nothing, Bernie.

Bernadette knew better. "Whatever, Penny. Now, I have to go. You two need to settle this before we come back. Whatever thing that has your panties in a bunch can't be worse than my mother-in-law dying. Tell everyone we'll check in with everyone later."

Her friend's words struck a nerve in Penny as she watched as the bereaved couple left.  _'Maybe I'm taking this too seriously. Perhaps I need to stop being a pain and chill. It's not like I haven't made any mistakes with Amy.'_

Then she saw Amy and Sheldon smiling at each other as they talked to Stuart. Suddenly, her guilty feelings were pushed aside as her anger rose up.

She didn't need to chill. She needed to kick some Nebraska ass, but later. Right now, the group was heading back to the apartment and Stuart needed them.

* * *

For the last five hours, the group exchanged Mrs. Wolowitz stories in between munching on the food from Stuart's comic shop after he canceled the grand opening. All evening, the guys, including Sheldon, kept the conversation going as the tension between Amy and Penny was thick enough to be cut with a knife.

When it hit ten o'clock, Raj took Stuart back to the Wolowitz house. After a few moments of Leonard and Sheldon steering conversation, it was mutually decided to clean up and then the couples would separate for the night.

Before Sheldon could move to assist Amy, Leonard grabbed his arm and steered him towards the kitchen. "But Leonard, the girls are fighting." He whispered. "If that estrogen flies, bad things could happen."

"I know, but they have to work it out themselves. Come on, we've got a ton of dishes to do."

As the guys started in the kitchen, the girls worked quietly side by side. Amy took off her cardigan and hung it on Sheldon's desk chair.  When she turned back, she saw Penny balancing several plates and bottles and moved to assist her. "Let me help you, Penny."

Penny moved away as Amy grabbed a couple of bottles. "I've got it. Being a waitress for almost seven years taught me a few things. At least I'm smart enough for that."

Amy felt the sting of Penny's words. "Bestie, you have an armful. I can take a couple of wine bottles."

"I said I have it. Back off."

When Amy took a step back, Penny walked to the island and dropped the dishes off before grabbing a wet dish cloth to wipe down the living room table.

Amy was closing up the leftover food containers when she saw Penny's shoulders slumped and tried another olive branch. "Bestie, can I help you with that?"

Penny didn't even attempt politeness this time. "No, you've done quite enough today thank you very much."

Amy wanted to avoid a fight because she knew Sheldon and herself were the cause of Penny's misery, but it was getting harder to do. "Penny, I said I was sorry."

"Well, sorry isn't good enough." Penny said stiffly when she stood up.

Amy finally lost the last of her patience.  Surprising the blonde, she took two steps until she was in Penny's face, who could only take a step backwards in response.  "Well, what the hell do you want me to do? Get on my knees and kiss your feet?!"

Sheldon and Leonard heard the raised voices in the kitchen and tried to stop the argument, but it was too late to stop Penny's words.

"Well, you sure were desperate enough to do it a few years ago when you had no friends. It's what you do to get Sheldon's attention, isn't it?"

The room got so quiet the only noise people could hear was Amy's sudden breath before more silence. The gravity of what she said sunk in with Penny as her eyes got large and her hands went over her mouth. "Oh my God! Amy I'm so so—"

Humiliated by what she heard, the neurobiologist moved to get her purse. "I need to get out of here."

Sheldon moved quickly until he was blocking his girlfriend's path. "Amy, please don't go."

"Sheldon, get out of my way."

"Amy, go into my bedroom and wait for me. Please?"

Amy was determined. "No, I want to go home now."

Sheldon knew he was beat. "Can I at least walk you to your car and sit with you for a while?"

Amy saw he was concerned, so she needed to give a little. "You can walk me to my car, but I'm going home."

Sheldon nodded before he got Amy's cardigan. After handing it to her and getting the door, the couple walked out of the apartment.

When the door shut, Leonard and Penny sat for a moment in silence until it was broken by a sniffle. Greeted with the sight of Penny sniffling again before wiping a tear away, he snapped before standing up and facing her.  "Penny, what the hell is the matter with you?"

Penny forgot about Amy as she looked at her fiancé with annoyance. "Okay, I went way too far, but I have to right to be mad, okay?"

"Penny, that's enough! You—"

He was interrupted by an almost 6'2'' Texas tornado that opened and slammed the door before coming face to face with the blonde. Penny saw the look in Sheldon's eyes and slunk back as she could swear she felt the anger coming out of them.

Sheldon forgot all about proper language as he shot daggers at the woman in front of him. "Where the hell do you get off saying mean things to Amy?"

Her fear forgotten, Penny stood up, her Cornhusker pique fired up as well. "When you two made a fool out of me with your experiment."

"She apologized to you at Stuart's shop, after we arrived here, and finally before your hissy fit a few minutes ago. Tell me Penny, what wooden object do you have embedded in your anal sphincter?"

Penny was flabbergasted. "Are you telling me that I am being a tight ass right now? After what you two did?"

"Right now, yes."

Forgetting his anger with Penny, Leonard got up to defend his fiancé. "Sheldon, shut up. You don't have the right to talk to her like this!"

Sheldon turned his gaze to his friend. "I do Leonard when she insults my girlfriend, her  _'bestie'_ " he said with quotation marks at 'bestie'.

"I know I said some hurtful things, Sheldon. I'm truly sorry about them and will apologize to Amy later, but I have a right to be upset. It hurts when people you care about make you a laughing stock."

"Like how you two and our other friends have done to me over the years? How you and Bernadette sometimes do with Amy?"

Sheldon saw the anger in the couple's eyes dissipate as shame over took them. As mad as he was, he thought about her words and what Amy had said to him earlier. For the first time this evening, he truly understood why Penny was upset and knew he had to face up to his part in it.

"You're right, Penny. It does hurt and I'm truly sorry to have hurt your feelings like we did. Sometimes, Amy and I get caught up in our activities and do things without thinking. Furthermore, I should have talked to her about her how I felt instead of telling you about the experiment out of spite.

"Thank you for your apology, Sheldon." Penny said.

His pleasant haze came back to anger as he remembered something Penny said to him a few years ago.

_"I thought you Texas guys stood up for your womanfolk."_

Sheldon's mind answered that memory with one thing.  _'That we do, Penny. That, we do. Time to defend my woman!'_

Sheldon came back to reality and stared his friend down. "Yes, just as you should have recognized that Amy was trying to make amends with you throughout this evening. You either ignored her or were mean to her all evening."

The lanky physicist folded his arms together on his chest. "My favorite was when we were talking about Mrs. Wolowitz and you said, and I quote,  _'Don't take this away from me'_  just because she had a memory like yours. Every time she tried to help you tonight, you treated her like gum on your shoe, which is really yucky and full of germs, something my Amy is not."

Before Penny could open her mouth, he continued. "You know, you were all over me this afternoon to  _'let it go, Sheldon'_. I realized you were right and did just that before making up with Amy, but now why can't you? She has forgiven you more than once for the crap you threw at her over the years."

He saw her once again attempt to interrupt, so he continued. "You left her out of bridesmaid dress shopping, you criticized her wardrobe as  _Forever 63_ , you found her fan fiction story and started to make fun of it—"

"But I loved that story—"

"After you read it against Amy's protests and made fun of a few parts of it. That's just a small sample of you Ms. Pot calling Amy's Kettle black."

Sheldon stopped for a minute to gather his thoughts before he took a step closer. "Amy told me that sometimes you feel insecure about your intelligence around us and that's why you're really upset. I think she's right."

He clasped his hands behind him. "You're jealous, Penny. Oh, you hide it well, but you are envious of the exceptional brain my girlfriend has and all she has accomplished with that organ. No breast flashing, no flirting like you did for tips at the Cheesecake Factory, just her intelligence and natural talent."

He continued when he saw he had the couple's attention. "You think you are an idiot compared to us and in a science and educational way, you definitely are. However, you know more about feelings and emotions better than any of us. In that way, you are smarter than us all, even Leonard."

Sheldon saw the surprised look on both Leonard and Penny's face before continuing. "You always tell me to  _'let it go'_ ,  _'get over it'_ , et cetera, et cetera. If you value Amy as a friend, you will do the same and apologize for your cruelty towards her tonight."

As her friend's words sunk in, Penny began to feel nauseated in her gut.  Remorse for her words and attitude engulfed her before bursting into tears. Leonard moved to hold her in his arms.

Sheldon merely stood and watched the couple. He was about to say something when he heard  _Cracklin Rose_  on his phone and answered it.  "Did you get home all right?"

Penny immediately knew who Sheldon was talking to and reached for his phone while wiping her face. "Let me talk to her, Sheldon."

The physicist moved away from her. "Yes, that was Penny. Do you want to talk to her?"  

Sheldon turned back to his friend. "Amy doesn't want to speak to you. Now get away from my phone and whimper to Leonard over there."  He turned away and got back on the phone. "Sorry about that. May I Skype you after I get ready for bed? Okay, Amy. I love you. Bye."

As Penny's blotchy face watched him, Sheldon's ire came back. "I can see you're remorseful now, but I don't care. You're not welcome here until you make things right with Amy."

He saw his roommate move to protest but stopped him cold. "I don't care if she's your fiancée, Leonard. I said my piece and I don't want to look at her anymore tonight. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready for bed and a girlfriend to call and help feel better through video communication since I can't be there to give her a hot beverage."

Sheldon walked out to his bedroom and slammed the door, leaving Leonard comforting a crying Penny.

* * *

Amy hung up the phone and sat. Those worries from earlier came back again and she could only sit in silence as they raced through her.

_'Is Sheldon really into me or is he just going through the motions to keep me happy?_ _Is Penny right? Do I always have to beg my boyfriend for any affections?'_

Why was it that her bestie could give her fiancé with a come hither look and Leonard goes running, but she had to spell out her feelings to Sheldon very literally because he didn't get sarcasm?

Feelings of inadequacy filled her up as she waited for Sheldon's call.

* * *

Sheldon waited until he heard the front door close before coming out. He went into the bathroom where he brushed his teeth and finished his nightly ritual.

A short time later, he returned to his bedroom with his laptop. After changing into pajamas, he called his girlfriend on Skype. When she answered, he was grateful to see a cup of tea in her hand and not wine.

"Hi Amy, how are you feeling?"

Amy set her cup down. "For a girl that begs her boyfriend for attention, I'm all good."

Sheldon felt his ire at Penny race back. "Amy! You know that's not true, right? I'm with you because I love you. I've also gave Penny a good talking to."

"Her feelings were hurt, Sheldon. What we did was wrong."

Sheldon tilted his face a bit. "Yes, I realize now experimenting on your best friends is not nice, but neither was she said to you and her crankiness. She got her underwear all in a bind about what happened, but others are just supposed to  _'let it go'_ "

Amy put her head in her hand. "Ugh, Sheldon. I don't want to hear that phrase ever again!"

"Sorry. I think Penny is going to see you tomorrow."

Amy nodded. "She will. She will apologize and we will make up. It's what friends do."

Sheldon saw that she wouldn't look him in the eye. "Amy, what's wrong? What aren't you telling me?"

Amy reluctantly turned her face up, but focused on his beautiful nose. She didn't want to voice her the stupid things she was thinking about before his call. "Sheldon, I don't know what you're talking about."

_'She's staring at my nose. She's keeping a secret! Darn it!'_  Sheldon realized. "Amy, come on! When you look at my nose that means you are keeping a secret. I hate those and you're just as bad a liar as I am. Now tell me."

Amy hated sounding stupid and weak, but if she couldn't let her guard down with her boyfriend, who could she with?

"Sheldon, do you find me…." Amy said before pushing her lips together, unable to finish her sentence.

Sheldon was hanging on his girlfriend's question. "What? Smart? Most definitely."

"No, it's…well…" Amy found it difficult to get the words out as she grabbed her tea and took a long drink.

_Sheldon was getting anxious as he watched his girlfriend struggle_ _. "Amy Farrah Fowler, spit it out!"_

Knowing he wouldn't stop until he knew, Amy took a deep breath and reached for the courage that was eluding her.

"Do you find me sexually desirable or are you just giving me what I want to make me happy?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I do apologize for the delay. Work and family taking up my time sucks! Ugh. As for fans of PR, I am working on that, but real life sometimes pushes fanfic to the back seat. It's coming, I promise.
> 
> Also, a big thanks to Hazelra7 for the beta and great suggestions through my usual crappy first draft....and also for the words when I needed them the most. She knows what I'm talking about.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own BBT, but like to take them out to play sometimes.

 

* * *

It was just shy of four in the morning when Penny came out of the shop holding her keys while balancing a box and two Styrofoam cups, exuding a confidence that she didn't feel. Quickly, she checked around the parking lot for anything suspicious. When clear, she swiftly walked to her car holding her keys through the chilly night.

When inside, Penny put the keys in the ignition. As she moved to start the car, she hesitated when Leonard's words from earlier came back to her. Once again, she questioned whether she was doing the right thing. Assuring herself she was correct, she started the car and pulled out onto the street.

Penny knew that she was stupid compared to the others. Instead of getting her panties in a bunch, she just needed to accept that and move on. However, Sheldon's words echoed back to her.

_'You know more about feelings and emotions better than any of us. In that way, you are smarter than us all, even Leonard.'_

As she drove the twenty minutes over to her friend's residence, her mind drifted to when they were introduced.

Amy Farrah Fowler was the weirdest girl she ever met and she sensed that the biologist thought she was a dumbass. More than once, the woman unknowingly insulted her, much like Sheldon did. However, she was used to it from him.

Almost immediately, the blonde could tell that the diminutive woman could easily hold her own with the lanky physicist, even putting him in his place when need be.

Sheldon Cooper was arrogant, honest to a fault, closed minded, and an all-around pain in the ass, but he was also the guy who helped Penny out when she was late on rent one month. He also was the one who drove her to the ER when she dislocated her shoulder, even though he was afraid to drive. Without a doubt, he was the most loyal friend anyone could ask for, including herself.

In the end, as annoying as the woman was, she also had never seen Sheldon as happy as he was when the other scientist was around.

So, for her friend, she would be nice to the new girl because it was obvious she needed some girlfriends.

As the weird girl's presence became more frequent, she would say unusual comments that made Penny wonder if Amy had a girl crush on her. Usually, she just ignored it but the neurobiologist got to be too much at times. A creepy painting and pushing for Bernie to borrow her dead cousin's wedding apparel sprung to mind.

The latter memory struck a nerve as she remembered the secret plans she made with Bernadette to go bridesmaid dress shopping without telling Amy. The girls just wanted one trip without Amy going apeshit, but Howard inadvertently spilled the beans with the neurobiologist present.

Of course, when the girls found out their friend knew about the secret trip, they knew the jig was up. Penny knew what to do, though.

"We'll talk to her." She recalled saying before going back to eating without a second thought.

How self-involved she was back then, always taking Amy for granted.

When she and Bernadette made the trip to UCLA, what was to be a quick apology turned out to be more complicated than planned. The more the two women tried to atone for what Penny now realized was a shitty thing to do, the more Amy brought out their differences. The further the scientist elaborated, the worse the two looked for excluding her. What seemed to be a simple way to smooth over feathers failed as the waitress realized that Amy was not the pushover she figured.

Looking back now, she was glad. She hated to admit it, but there were times Penny knew she needed a kick in the ass.

While trying to ignore the brains on the lab table and chemical smells, she looked around as it was the first time she ventured to Amy's lab. While it looked like ones she saw on TV, it had stuff she had never seen before .

On a wall, she saw her friend's diploma from Harvard along with numerous awards for her research. There was even a magazine cover from some magazine called 'Neuron'.

She had always dreamed of being on a magazine cover, or even just on the front page of her hometown newspaper. However, the closest she got was a story the paper did on the cow she thought she assisted in tipping in high school. Of course, no names were mentioned.

All her life, Penny dreamed of traveling the world at exotic movie locales, but the closest she ever got was Bakersfield to film her hemorrhoid commercial and a couple of trips to Las Vegas. On the other hand, Amy studied in Norway and traveled to various locales to lecture. Hell, she even got to race a camel in Saudi Arabia!

She got by in California not by movie offers, but by tips she earned working her crappy job at the Cheesecake Factory. Amy told her once that she skipped two grades and graduated at age sixteen before earning a full ride scholarship to Harvard.

Amy didn't get that with flirting and flashing cleavage, but with only her brain.

They were complete opposites, but over the last four years the two forged a true friendship. It was Amy, not Bernadette who came over to comfort her when she found out about Leonard and Priya.

While her short blonde friend got her the job interview last fall, it was the bespectacled scientist that convinced her to take the chance and go into pharmaceutical sales.

_'It's like acting, Penny. While your alabaster skin and hazel eyes may help you score more, it's your brain that will give you the proper inspiration to make the sale. Remember, as with playing a role, you get a monetary reward. Who doesn't like that?'_

It was also Amy who pushed her to continue working through her commitment issues so she could have a healthy relationship with Leonard. She trusted the brain scientist with everything, a feeling she can honestly say she never had with anyone else, sometimes even her fiance.

Before she knew it, she had arrived at the old familiar apartment building in Glendale.

Fighting off the urge to go back home and hide, she got out of the car. She felt sick the closer she got to the entrance, but recalling all that Amy had done for her helped push her fears aside.  Taking a deep breath, she balanced her purchases and purse. Opening the entrance door, she walked towards the elevator with purpose before electing to take the stairs.

When she got to her desired floor, she opened the door and walked over to Apartment 314, ignoring her sweaty palms and the queasiness that was now pressing down inside of her gut.

"Suck it up, Penny. You made the mess.  Now you have to clean it up." She muttered.

Balancing her items on her left arm, she moved her hand up to knock before suddenly putting her arm down. Maybe she was being selfish and needed to wait.

But she was the one who was the bitch. Yes, Sheldon and Amy hurt her, but her friend did say sorry and instead of accepting graciously, she acted like an ass. Considering she was the one who was all over Sheldon to  _"let it go"_ , she was probably behaved the worst that day.

But wasn't it selfish to ignore her friend's request to leave her alone? Couldn't an apology wait?

"Ugh!" Penny said to herself softly before she did a balancing act with her bag of items, cups, and her purse as she carefully put her items on the floor. When situated, she sat down with her back against the door contemplating the events that happened a couple of hours earlier.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Penny's bedroom was dark with the only light being the sliver of the moon peeking in. The blonde's eyes were closed, but suddenly, they opened up in frustration before she looked at the clock. 2:37 AM.  
_

_"Great." She muttered to herself in frustration before looking over to her bed mate, who was soundly asleep. She knew Leonard didn't wake her because thanks to his sinus surgery a few months earlier, he didn't snore anymore._

_Who was she kidding? She knew why she was awake._

_Penny played over all that happened the last fourteen hours in her head, each time getting more unwell by the time she got to the argument in 4A._

_All those insecurities about being smart and taken seriously overcame her as she rudely pushed Amy's attempts to apologize aside throughout the day. To make matters worse, she got a stick up her ass and made a comment to cut Amy as deep as she was earlier today with Sheldon's revelation._

_Good friends don't do that to each other, no matter how much they hurt._

_As with each other time, a tear began to fall. She felt the solitary drip down her face and moved to her right side to attempt sleep again. Before, Penny would wipe away the tear, sniffle for a moment quietly as to not wake up Leonard, and then turn to another position to attempt sleep._

_However, this time her tenuous control over herself fled as the gravity of what her anger caused pushed the tears to flow. It seemed once it started they wouldn't stop. She was so caught up in her misery that she didn't notice the bedside lamp turn on or the man kneeling in front of her with a box of Kleenex._

_"T-thank you, Honey."_

_Leonard got up to sit beside Penny on the bed before putting his arm around his fiancée in a show of comfort. After a moment, nervous energy overcame her as she got up and paced around, not seeing his momentary hurt at being rebuffed._

_Oh my God…what have I done? How could I say what I did to Amy? I know she's sensitive about her and Sheldon and I just used it to hurt her like I felt earlier."_

_"Sweetheart, you know, just let her cool off. By tomorrow, you will each be calmer and can talk things over rationally."_ _  
_

_Penny wasn't listening as she began to get worked up again. "Leonard, what I said was so cruel. It was worse than what they did to us. Much worse. I have to apologize to her."_

_"Yes, you two can talk tomorrow and things will blow over."_

_"No Leonard, I have to do it now!"_

_The diminutive physicist looked at the clock. "Penny! You do realize that it's almost three in the morning. You can't go over there now. We all have work in the morning."_

_Penny, however, was in the Zone as she quickly got dressed. "The only thing I have to do is prepare my presentation for an OB-GYN's office I am visiting Monday since almost all my doctors' offices are closed. You said that you and Sheldon were just going in for a few hours to work on your paper while Amy was going to work at home due to the campus being closed for President's Day Weekend. I have to ask for her forgiveness, Leonard."_

_"Penny, Amy said she didn't want to talk to you ton—"_

_"I have to apologize to Amy. I was a nasty bitch to her. I have to talk to her now."_

_"Penny! Look at the clock! It's the middle of the night. Please leave Amy alone until the morning."_

_Penny didn't understand why Leonard wasn't letting her do what was right. "Damn it, Leonard, get out of my way. I need to tell Amy how sorry I am for what I said it her. What I did was horrible and I have to make things right with her."_

_"Make it right for whom? Amy or your guilty conscience?"_

_Penny was stunned. "Excuse me?"_

_She watched as her fiancé combed his hair back in frustration. "Never mind. Forget what I said."_

_"No, Leonard. You have an opinion, so let's hear it!"_

_She could see the man hesitate for a minute before he started to speak. "Why are you so gung ho on going over there now?"_

_The blonde looked at her fiancé incredulously. "Because I was an ass to my friend. Why else?"_

_"Why can't this wait 12 hours? Jesus, Penny, sometimes you get so caught up in your feelings you don't take the time to think and listen to others! That's what got you in trouble here in the first place and now you want to make it worse just to make yourself feel better?"_

_Leonard's words felt like a slap in the face. All that the blonde could come up with for a response was, "Wow…just wow."_

_She saw the physicist open his mouth to speak, but it was too late as she needed to get away from him immediately. Moving deftly around the man, she grabbed her purse and keys before heading to the front door. Before shutting it, she turned around and the look she gave Leonard could cut through glass._

_"I don't know when I'll be back, but don't be here when I do."_

_A few minutes later, Penny was in her car driving aimlessly as she thought of what to say._

_"Amy, I'm sorry for what I said…no…Amy, I was a douche…no, that was Leonard tonight…I'm sorry for being a bitch…no, not good enough…"_

_After another few minutes of trying to find the right words, she knew she was missing an essential item._

_"Coffee…I need coffee…a lot of it."_

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Penny woke up disoriented before remembering she was outside Amy's apartment. The last thing she recalled was thinking about what happened at her apartment earlier, but must have fallen asleep. She rubbed her eyes and held back tears of guilt about her fight with Leonard.

He was right…coming over in the middle of the night was selfish when she knew that Amy didn't want to talk to her just yet. Penny needed to go home and come back, maybe later this afternoon since she knew the neurobiologist planned to be up first thing to work on her lab reports.

Also, she needed to apologize to her fiancé for being a first class bitch.

Before she could prop herself up, she felt herself fall back as the door opened and was greeted with a very angry pair of blue eyes.

"Penny! What are you doing here?!"

Penny was about to respond when the situation dawned on her.  "Sheldon, what are you doing here?"

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

_Sheldon was getting anxious as he watched his girlfriend struggle. "Amy Farrah Fowler, spit it out!"_

_Knowing he wouldn't stop until he knew, Amy took a deep breath and reached for the courage that was eluding her._

_"Do you find me sexually desirable or are you just giving me what I want to make me happy?"_

* * *

It took a second for Sheldon's mind to process Amy's question. When it did, he had no words as his jaw dropped in shock. _Why the heck would she think he was doing things only mommies and daddies do just to please her?_

When he had a feeling, he knew it. He liked kissing Amy Farrah Fowler…a lot. He liked touching her boobies even more. Sucking on them was like…all kinds of awesome.

The best thing of all…her beautiful posterior. Before recently, it was a forbidden pleasure limited to his dreams and his dirty thoughts when she walked in front of him or when she bent over any counter or table. Squeezing and touching it was better than any episode of  _The Flash_.

Better than even  _Doctor Who_. Of course, he had to maintain decorum in public. He was a southern gentlemen after all.

But in private the last few weeks…Boy Howdy was it magic!

He wasn't ready for coitus, but knew he was almost there. Since he and Amy decided to follow their own time table for intimacy, Sheldon didn't feel pressured as before. The dirty things they did this afternoon and the last few Date Nights were the closest he ever got to another person.

He really wanted to lift up that skirt and do the things he saw in that book Leonard and Penny got him, but he didn't want to push his girlfriend too far. It was bad enough earlier that day he was like an animal who picked her up like a sack of potatoes and dumped her on the kitchen counter.

The time wasn't right yet, but it would be…soon…he hoped.

Now, if only he could come up with an answer to his girlfriend's insane question.

Amy's sadness turned to amusement as she observed Sheldon's mouth remain open on the screen. It wasn't very often she could make her boyfriend speechless. She gave him a few seconds before speaking up.

"I would close your mouth for you, but I'm fifteen miles away and holding a hot beverage."

Her remarks pushed Sheldon back from a vision of them in the shower getting each other very clean. "Amy Farrah Fowler, what kind of bat crap crazy question is that? You know that my genius is unable to process answers to stupid questions."

Amy's back went up at Sheldon's harsh words. "It is NOT a crazy or stupid question, but an appropriate one."

The physicist leaned closer to the screen and began to address his girlfriend in his professor tone. "Before I am forced to give a response to your idiotic inquiry, let me be clear. That question is irrelevant because—"

"Sheldon Lee Cooper, I'm not a student under appreciating what I'm sure is one of your brilliant lectures and you will not address me as such."

When she could see her boyfriend relax onscreen, she continued. "That's better. Now, what I'm asking is a legitimate question. I have to wonder why you are not giving me an answer."

"I'm not avoiding giving you an answer. I am just shocked that you, Amy Farrah Fowler, are having, well, a brain fart."

"Excuse me?" Amy ask flabbergasted. "Sheldon, what did I tell you about using that term?"

The physicist looked momentarily shamed. "That it was insulting to you and the field of neurobiology to be compared to a side effect of Leonard's lactose intolerance. But, Amy, why would you think a crazy thought like that?"

Amy's face stiffened into a mask as she put her tea down and crossed her arms. "You're still not giving me an answer."

Sheldon exhaled in frustration. "I'll answer yours when you answer mine and not before."

Amy knew they were at an impasse and from the determined look on her boyfriend's face, it looked like it would be her to break it.

"Fine. I'm asking because even though she said it in anger, Penny made a good point. Before your train trip this summer, I had to fight for every scrap of affection from you. Our first kiss was when I was inebriated and don't remember. The second was when you gave me the tiara after you behaved like a jackass, and the third was when I had to get you mad.

Sheldon continued to watch and listen to his girlfriend on his laptop screen while guilty feelings emerged.

_'The thought of even kissing me until a year ago seemed to repulse you. Until recently, all our kisses were according to the schedule in the Relationship Agreement. Now—'_

All of a sudden the neuroscientist's face froze with her mouth open mid-sentence. "Amy!" Sheldon said before hitting the keys on his keyboard. "Amy Farrah Fowler!"

Sheldon waited for a minute before Skype indicated the call ended. He grabbed his phone and tried to call her, but he only got a message saying the phone number wasn't in service at that time.

"Son of a biscuit!"

He sent a text before attempting to call with the same result. His annoyance turned to worry when she didn't call him back after five minutes. Sheldon didn't want to make things worse, but the last time she didn't answer him back, she was devastated from Bernadette and Penny bridesmaid dress shopping without her.

The thought of Penny, a person he grew to love as his sister, brought a sudden a flash of anger about that broke his spell. While she was beneath him intelligence wise, over the years, her sage advice was something he could count on.

Penny was the one who took him on his first real date with Amy. She was also the one he would go to whenever he did something to upset his girlfriend that Leonard obviously couldn't help him with. From the start, she encouraged him to be a better boyfriend to the neurobiologist.

Remembering those instances led him to the events of tonight. Going to her for advice led him to tell her about the experiments. In turn, she told Leonard, who was annoyed with him until they worked things out.

She was also the one who made his Amy feel terrible about herself. That was unacceptable. No one, not even Penny, would get away with hurting his beloved scientist. Once again, the blonde was messing with forces beyond her ken, but revenge had to wait.

Right now, there was a girlfriend he was unable to get in contact with and he needed to get to her.

In a speed that would make the Flash proud, he jumped out of bed, slipped into a pair of sneakers, and ran through the apartment. Grabbing his messenger bag, he ran out the door. Five seconds later, he ran back in.

"It's supposed to be chilly tonight."

He looked around until he saw his gray and purple windbreaker on the back of the chair and quickly put it on. After grabbing keys from the bowl, he let himself out.

Locking his apartment, he looked one more time at the door across the hall. His temper shot up before he remembered something else about the last time Amy didn't respond to his calls.

"Oh my Lord what if she was eaten by a bobcat?!"

Sheldon turned and raced down the stairs oblivious to the late hour. "Don't worry, my cute little lump of wool. I'll save you."

* * *

"Sheldon?" Amy yelled at the screen. She tried calling back but was annoyed when it didn't go through. Checking her wireless, she saw there was no connectivity. Grabbing her cell phone, she dialed, but all she got was a message that her cell service was interrupted.

"Ugh! No internet and no phone! You've got to be kidding me! Sheldon's going to be worried sick." Amy growled before sending a quick text to her boyfriend while the two cups of tea she drank began to be felt.

She waited for four minutes in hope that either her internet or her cell phone service would be back up and running. When she didn't hear back from her boyfriend, she checked her phone and saw her message was still in sending mode.

"Of course, no cell service, no texting. Duh." Amy growled. "Great. Just great. Message to self. Get internet service independent of your cell phone company. No, look into another cell phone and internet carrier because AT & T sucks."

In the distance, she heard several sirens going down the road. Ignoring the urge to urinate, she looked at the time and saw it was after midnight. Fourteen minutes since she got cut off from Sheldon.

_'Maybe Mrs. Kokozian will let me use her phone to call Sheldon's land line'_

Tying her bathrobe shut, she opened her door and walked across the hall. Amy was about to knock on the door when she remembered that the elderly woman was out of town. Realizing that she had no other options, she shuffled dejectedly back into her apartment.

_'He's probably freaking out right now.'_  Amy thought.  _'Hopefully, Leonard is being patient with him so he doesn't do anything insane.'_

Then she realized that knowing Leonard, right now he was with Penny instead of Sheldon. Her train of thought led back to her bestie and her words earlier this evening. She knew using them in the experiment was wrong, but she did not deserve the other woman's attitude.

"I don't want to think about or deal with her right now." Amy muttered to herself.

She also didn't want to go to Pasadena at this time of night. However, she knew that if she didn't, her boyfriend would do something crazy like take the bus. Who knew what insane weirdos he would find on it this time of night? What if something happened to her Sweet Baboo?

Resigned, she moved to change her clothes for the drive to Pasadena, but she couldn't ignore the now very urgent need to pee.

"Void the bladder, then go reassure Sheldon." Amy said to herself as she headed to the back of her apartment. After she was done, she had barely finished washing her hands when she heard three sets of frantic knocking.

**_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Amy Farrah Fowler!_ **

**_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Amy Farrah Fowler!_ **

**_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Amy Farrah Fowler!_ **

Quickly, she dried her hands and wiped them with Purell. When done, she ran to her door and opened it only to be pulled into a bear hug by her boyfriend.

"Oh thank god, Amy! I was so afraid you were going to be eaten by a bobcat!"

"Sheldon, get in here." Amy said before pulling her hysterical boyfriend inside and shutting the door. "Why in the world would you think that?"

Sheldon was still breathing heavy, so Amy pulled him to the couch and made him sit. Moving with efficiency, she went to the kitchen and pulled a paper bag from a drawer and opened it.

When she made it back to her hysterical boyfriend she gave it to him. "Breathe into this."

Amy watched as he slowly calmed down. When she was sure he was breathing at a normal rate, she gently took the bag away, helped him remove his windbreaker, and began to comb his hair with her fingers. "Sheldon, are you all right now?"

The physicist immediately relaxed and nodded his head. "I think so. Thank you."

"Sheldon, why did you race over here like a crazy person? What's all this about a bobcat?"

Sheldon put on his mask of indifference, but he when he saw the worry in Amy's eyes, he relented. "When our Skype call got cut off, I was…well…concerned. When I couldn't get in contact with you, it was like the previous time you didn't talk to me, after Bernadette and Penny were mean to you."

Amy's eyes clouded over and Sheldon suddenly felt guilty. "Amy, I'm sorr—"

He was cut off with his girlfriend's hand on his. "Sheldon, its fine. Just finish what you were telling me."

"I was scared something was wrong. The last time this happened, I had heard a bobcat was on the loose. I was scared that one may have hurt you."

Amy smiled as her hand moved to Sheldon's cheek, who unconsciously closed his eyes for a moment engrossed by her touch. When his eyes opened, his blue orbs made her melt.

"Sheldon, both my internet and cell service are out. Pretty nuts, but something is going on that affected both of them since they are the same company. I heard sirens race down the road, so I'm postulating there was an accident and towers are down."

"There was. I was rerouted on my way here or else I would have been here faster."

Amy felt the love in her heart grow for this awkward genius in front of her. It was then she remembered what they were talking about and her posture stiffened. "You never answered my question, Doctor Cooper."

Sheldon was hoping she forgot, but of course she wouldn't. Her mind was something that attracted him from the beginning. He knew what started this idiotic conversation, but he was determined to put it to rest. "Of course I didn't. It's a waste of time when there are better topics to pursue."

Amy was flabbergasted as her temper flared. "Better topics? Excuse me, but I am asking for a serious answer to a serious topic. If you don't answer me, then I have to conclude that you're only trying to keep me happy when you kiss and make out with me. You're probably thinking of something like…Star Wars or The Flash!"

When his girlfriend stopped speaking, Sheldon's mind popped.  _'Star Wars? The Flash? She thinks I'm thinking about those things when I kiss her? That our forays towards coitus are to appease her? Well, I'll show her by letting her know how wrong she is.'_

The neurobiologist watched as her boyfriend's spine suddenly straightened and his eyes darkened. The combined effect was devastating as she felt a stab of desire pool up inside her as Sheldon's eyes moved to her in a laser focus.

"Woman, I know how I feel. I would never compromise myself for anyone. I kiss you and fondle your awesome boobs and posterior because I like them! Do you hear me? I like them a lot. No, I love them!"

Amy's eyes bulged as her agitated boyfriend stood up. "For years, those womanly parts of yours have taunted me. Watching your ample buttocks as you walk up the stairs, watching your breasts move under your cardigan sweaters when you walk up to me. It never stops!"

He grabbed his girlfriend by the shoulders before pulling her up so she is facing him.

"Do you know what it does to my REM cycle after our date nights? Good Lord, I need a day just to recover from the images that enter my dreams. You crawling over my desk in a purple brassiere and underwear while I am working on important equations. Me going into your lab where I pick you up and slam you onto your lab table before I rip your panties and layers of clothes open so I can devour every inch of you-"

As Amy continued to listen, she observed his blue eyes darken to a color that can only be described as a cross between indigo and midnight blue. She could feel the heat rise in her body and her breathing hitch as it felt like the oxygen was leaving the room. Each word that Sheldon spoke made her legs get weaker and the pool of moisture at the apex of her thigh grow wetter.

"-And the one where you go into my lecture hall after my class ends? You're wearing a lab coat but as you get closer to my lecture stand, you strip wearing only one of those skimpy red nighties with a lightning bolt like the Flash on it. Then there's the-"

He is interrupted by Amy grabbing his head before she planted a sensuous kiss on him, making him forget everything on his mind. In response, he pulled his neurobiologist into his arms and deepened the kiss while his hands roamed all over her back.

When the two came up for air, Amy immediately went for the spot on Sheldon's neck below the jugular and nibbled gently. She smiled as her boyfriend moaned heavily and his hands grasped her buttocks, pulling her closer.

For Sheldon, he could only get one word out. "Bedroom."

Before Amy knew it, her boyfriend pushed her backwards through her apartment and past her open Tardis doors to her bed. There was no fairy tale gentle lowering as Sheldon pushed her on the bed with him landing on top of her. He wasted no time as his hands roughly untied her bathrobe before pulling her up enough to remove it.

When he saw what was underneath, he muttered, "Oh good Lord, what are you wearing?"

Amy knew she hit the jackpot with her cotton nightgown. It was pale green with spaghetti straps, had an empire waist that emphasized her breasts and went to her knees. Her bestie tried to get her to buy something skimpy on their last shopping date, but she knew her man and what would drive him wild.

Her last thought disappeared when Sheldon's lips made it to her earlobe and nibbled while his hand began to move down her bare leg.

Sheldon Cooper, meanwhile, had a dilemma on his hands as what to fondle first.  Her awesome, pert breasts or that beautiful butt?

Getting his courage up, he pushed her nightgown up to her waist, revealing soft curves being covered by white lace. He could only stare for a moment in awe. "You're beautiful, Amy."

Not wanting to be parted any more, his hand found her smooth thigh and was caressing it before moving down to her posterior. For a moment, Sheldon was torn because he had only felt it over her clothes. He didn't want to go further than what his girlfriend was ready for, but the decision was made for him.

"It's okay, Sheldon. Please touch my buttocks."

He could swear he heard a choir sing as his hand moved down to caress one of those beautiful mounds. Touching them over a pair of panties was much different than over her skirt and it made his little physicist swell up in his pants. After a second of deliberation, his hand moved underneath the garment. The silkiness of her skin drove him mad.

Sheldon knew that there was no pressure for coitus, but he was determined to show his girlfriend just how much she turned him on as his lips simultaneously made a trail down her neck towards her collarbone. He was fascinated with the texture changes on Amy's skin, but he had a goal and was determined to reach it.

While he enjoyed her posterior, his other hand pulled the straps off one at a time until she was bared to him from her abdomen up. When he saw his reward, his mouth eagerly claimed its prize, sucking while rolling his tongue around the nipple.

"Oh Sheldon!" Amy needed more from her physicist. She moved her leg around his hip, pulling him in. His hind brain took control by grasping her buttocks to hold her close.

"Oh, wow, Amy!"

With that thought, he moved his hand from her rear end to the apex of her thighs and felt her special place through her panties. As her wetness increased, the only thought going through his mind was that he wanted her soaked.

Amy could feel shock waves as Sheldon's hand played her like his Theremin, his ever changing fingers producing different sensations to her clitoris. Lost in her lust, all Amy could respond with was, "Oh God…oh…"

In a frenzy, she ran her hands all over his body before slipping her hands underneath his pajama shirt to feel the muscles in his back. Impatient to feel everything else, she hastily unbuttoned his top and ripped it off with Sheldon's help. When free, she eagerly rubbed her hands on his chest and shoulders, causing her boyfriend to moan.

As her boyfriend's hot mouth moved to her other breast, her hands were busy as well as they moved to his neck before traveling down his back. She felt the smoothness of his skin before being rewarded by feeling the contractions of each muscle with every movement Sheldon made, driving her wild.

When she got to his rear, she kneaded it like cookie dough, earning a growl from her partner. As hot as he was, she was hesitant to move her hand into his pants, a part that always taunted her. However, Sheldon made the decision for her.

"Doctor Fowler, please touch me. My back, my buttocks, my legs…everything. You can scratch me for all I care, but for the love of physics, touch me!"

Following his directive, Amy moved her hand into his pants and massaged his posterior, loving the muscular feel and the moans she received in turn. Feeling bold, she moved her fingers around the front to his member and stroked it. She marveled at the smoothness as Sheldon bucked into her further.

As his moans echoed onto her breast, she felt like she was about to break as his magical fingers continued manipulating her nerve center along with the delicious friction through her wet panties.

"Sheldon, please don't stop!"

"Amy, I'm close…so close. Oh, you feel good!"

Amy's caresses were blowing Sheldon's mind. Needing the emotional connection, his lips moved back to hers as they worked each other to the breaking point. Before he knew it, she exploded.

"Yes, oh my, oh…..Doctor Cooper!"

Her orgasm didn't slow her down as one hand moved up and down Sheldon, the other one dug her nails just right into his buttocks, breaking his last vestige of control as the dam broke.

"Son of a bi…yes, Doctor Fowler! Yes!"

For several minutes, the couple recovered their faculties before they laid with a shirtless Sheldon on top of Amy like warm syrup. She loved it but soon needed to move.

"Sheldon, do you…?"

He lifted up his head as he worked to overcome the last of his haze. "What, Amy?"

When Amy eyed him and moved her hand in an 'up' direction, he understood. "What's….oh, I'm sorry. Allow me."

When he moved out of her way, Amy got up, grabbed something from her top drawer, and quickly left to Sheldon's alarm. She returned shortly to his relief.

"Amy, are you all right?" Sheldon asked. "You ran to the restroom in quite a hurry. I didn't hurt you from pile driving you into the bed did I?"

"No, Sheldon. I just needed to change."

When he looked at her confused she looked away in embarrassment, but knew she needed to reassure him. "My underwear, Sheldon. Your agile fingers created a situation."

Amy smiled as Sheldon's eyes got larger and his face turned deep red before looking away. "I'm fine. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?" Sheldon asked. "I practically pushed you onto the box spring while we were mutually satisfying each other, but I couldn't help it. In the crude vernacular of Howard Wolowitz, you made me very horny, Amy Farrah Fowler."

The physicist smiled as his girlfriend blushed again. "Now, with the events of the last," he looked at her bedside clock, "hour, have I proven that I am not satisfying your hind brain merely to keep you happy?"

"Yes, Cuddles." Amy said with a smile.  _'Screw what others think. Sheldon think I'm hot.'_

She laughed when she saw his disgusted look. "Sorry, when you dry hump my brains out, get to third base, and give me multiple orgasms, you've earned the title."

Sheldon reddened once again and looked away for a moment before he recovered himself. "Well, I'm a genius after all as are you. Who else would know how to reduce me to less than  _Homo novus_  and make me like it?"

They smiled at each other, but when Sheldon started twitching, she knew what needed to be done.

"Why don't you take a shower, Sheldon? I will go after you and then we can turn in since it's after one in the morning. Your extra pajamas are in the closet in your emergency kit."

Sheldon sighed in relief as he jumped out of bed, grabbed his bag from Amy's closet, and ran out. A second later, he came back and gave her a sweet kiss, which she returned with equal sweetness. They broke apart and smiled.

"Go, Sheldon."

"Thank you, Amy."

Amy laughed as her lanky physicist ran off to the bathroom.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the couple settled into bed with changed sheets to Sheldon's excitement. They snuggled together before she flipped the bedside light. Amy did an inner dance because this was their first true snuggle fest in her bed.

It was after a moment in the dark bedroom that Amy realized something.

"Sheldon, you came here in your pajamas, not your bus pants. How did you get here?"

"Ummm…."

"Sheldon Lee Cooper, you didn't…"

"I did."

The couple laughed together in the dark before giving final salutations.

"Good night, Cuddles."

"Good night, Vixen."

* * *

It was almost six when Amy woke up. She should have been tired but she felt relaxed and rested. She reached over for Sheldon's warmth, but only felt coldness. Suddenly, the young woman was scared that last night was merely a dream, but it was a sound that brought her back to her senses.

_**FLUSH!** _

_'So it wasn't a dream.'_  Amy thought to herself. Grabbing her robe nearby, she slipped it on and walked out into her main room, where she saw her boyfriend in her kitchen making tea. When he turned around, he looked crestfallen.

"Son of a biscuit! Why are you up?"

Amy was taken aback by her boyfriend's admonishment. "Excuse me, Sheldon, but this is my apartment. I am awake because I woke up as I usually do around this time each day. I left my bed because I was alone and disturbed by someone voiding or defecating in my bathroom. Now, tell me why you're up."

Sheldon had the good sense to look chagrined. "I wanted to surprise you with tea."

Amy smiled at his nice gesture. "Thank you, Sheldon."

The couple sat at the table drinking their tea while checking each other out when the other wasn't looking. However, each wondered how the other felt about their night together as it was one step closer to coitus. Each were afraid to bring it up, though, so they moved onto safe topics such as Sheldon's paper with Leonard and Amy's conclusions in her experiments with the monkeys.

"It was wrong, Sheldon to use our besties, but their results when compared to all the chimps, including Barnabas, were remarkable."

Sheldon sipped his tea. "So are you just writing up your final reports today?"

"Yes, I am. I wanted to have your input before turning them in as you were my partner after all. When were you going to meet with Leonard?"

"We talked about heading to CalTech around nine. When do you think Penny will make her walk of shame over here?"

"Sheldon—"

"Fine. I'll just go on the record with that she acted with as much maturity yesterday as Barnabas when we took his puzzle box away. When one apologizes, you accept with grace."

"Like you always have, Sheldon Cooper? You never tortured someone just to seek revenge, correct?"

Amy smiled when she saw Sheldon's right eye twitch. "It's okay, Sheldon. Relax. I'm just having some fun with you."

When she saw his face go back to normal, she relaxed. "As for Penny, knowing her, she'll show up sometime after twelve with a cup of coffee in a to-go cup. After heading to the fridge for my milk because she was out again, she'll set me down and apologize."

"Amy—"

The neurobiologist held up her hand. "But, after she tells me she's sorry, I'll give her a few words on how she'll start respecting me by not making snide comments about our relationship just because she's pissed off. I'll finish with if she does something like that again, she can kiss our friendship goodbye."

Sheldon got quiet for a second. "If she does this again, I will stop being her friend."

It took a second for Amy to realize what he was saying. "No, Sheldon—"

It was his turn to hold his hand up. "I love Penny like a sibling. An annoying, stupid one, but one nonetheless."

He then took her hand and caressed her fingers with his thumb before gulping. "However, I love you like a boy loves a girl. I know that no one has ever made me think the dirty thoughts you do, Amy. No one ever will."

Sheldon took a breath. "What I'm trying to say is, I would be respectful with Penny because of Leonard if I couldn't hide in my bedroom. However, I can't live without you, Amy Farrah Fowler. I won't because I love you. More than trains, Star Wars, Star Trek…more than physics."

Amy was still as a statue as she took in her boyfriend's words.  _'He loves me more than physics.'_  She thought before she returned the affection with her other hand on his.

After a minute, Sheldon brought them back to reality as only Sheldon can. "Well Vixen, that's enough of that. So as I am a guest, what is on the menu for breakfast?"

Amy laughed as she got up and walked into her kitchen. Opening a cupboard, she opened it and took out a favorite of Sheldon's. "Well, today is oatmeal day, isn't it?"

_'How I love her preparedness. It is so…..oh what the hell…it's hot!'_  The lanky physicist thought as he began to get light headed as the blood rushed below. "That it is, Doctor Fowler. Would you like to go over your notes for the final reports while we eat?"

"Excellent idea, Doctor Cooper. The flash drive is in my purse." Amy said before turning towards the stove.

Sheldon got up to where Amy kept her purse but didn't see it. "Amy, where did you put your purse?"

"It goes in the same place, Sheldon. Right by the do-oh crap! I left it in the car last night."

When she saw her boyfriend's perplexed face, she elaborated. "I was very upset when I came home last night and in a haze. I always put it under the passenger seat so it must still be there. I'll go get it."

Sheldon looked at his girlfriend, whose robe was still open, revealing the green nightgown that bewitched him last night. Suddenly, the physicist began to have stirrings of jealousy just thinking about it.

_'No way was she going to tempt other men with her alluring ways.'_  Sheldon thought. "No you won't, Doctor Fowler. Any man sees you like that and he will immediately be tempted."

"Sheldon, I will tie my robe closed—"

"Doesn't matter. No, only I get to see you undressed." Sheldon walked up closer, his eyes growing darker with every step. "You're mine, Amy Farrah Fowler. Only I will enjoy your forbidden fruits."

Amy unconsciously fans herself as she feels the heat rise with her arousal. "Hoo…." She says softly.

Sheldon gives a side grin in response. "Of course. Now, keys are in your bowl?"

Amy could only nod as she wasn't back on terra firma yet. She didn't know how much work the two would get done before he went home to meet with Leonard, but with the look he just gave her, it sure as hell wouldn't be a lot. It made her feel like a dirty girl.

Hmmm, every dirty girl needed to be clean...maybe Sheldon could help her with that.

As for Sheldon, a sudden flash of him removing her robe and nightgown before bathing made his insides tingle. He moved quickly to the door, rationalizing the sooner the two finished the reports, the more time the two would have to enjoy a shower together, if it was something Amy was ready for.

Making out was one thing. Mutual hygiene was a personal issue and needed to be conducted with great care.

His pleasant thoughts were interrupted as he opened Amy's door to be greeted with Penny falling onto her back in the apartment doorway looking disoriented. One look at her reminded him of the argument last night.

"Penny! What are you doing here?!"

Surprised, Penny shook off shock from falling backwards as she realized who had opened Amy's door. "Sheldon, what are you doing here?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for everyone's patience. I've had some health issues of late, plus I have had to work some double shifts, so my time is at a premium unfortunately. Hope you are still enjoying the ride of the Shamy and Lenny. Remember to keep those review coming so I know I do not suck! LOL
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own BBT, but I like to take them out to play sometimes.

             _"Why are you so gung ho on going over there now?”_

_The blonde looked at her fiancé incredulously.  “Because I was an ass to my friend.  Why else?”_

_“Why can’t this wait 12 hours?  Jesus, Penny, sometimes you get so caught up in your feelings you don’t take the time to think and listen to others!  That’s what got you in trouble here in the first place and now you want to make it worse just to make yourself feel better?”_

_Leonard’s words felt like a slap in the face.  All that the blonde could come up with for a response was, “Wow…just wow.”_

_She saw the physicist open his mouth to speak, but it was too late as she needed to get away from him immediately.   Moving deftly around the man, she grabbed her purse and keys before heading to the front door.  Before shutting it, she turned around and the look she gave Leonard could cut through glass._

_“I don’t know when I’ll be back, but don’t be here when I do.”_

* * *

 

            Leonard could only stand and watch as Penny stormed out of her apartment, cringing as he almost went deaf at the hard slam of the door.  He shouldn’t be surprised at this development as it wasn't the first time one of them had slammed a door or phone during an argument about something stupid.

            However, out of everything that happened today, this fight was the last thing he expected.  As he thought of the previous hours, he realized that perhaps he should have.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_"I don't care if she's your fiancée, Leonard. I said my piece and I don't want to look at her anymore tonight. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready for bed and a girlfriend to call and help feel better through video communication since I can't be there to give her a hot beverage."_

_Sheldon walked out to his bedroom and slammed the door, leaving Leonard comforting a crying Penny._

             _After a few minutes, Leonard’s practicality kicked in as he knew diffusing the situation was the best thing to do.  To do that, he needed to take the oxygen away from the flame._

_“Come on, Honey.  Let’s go back to your place.”_

_The weepy woman merely nodded while wiping her eyes.  Taking Penny’s hand, the couple left the apartment to her place across the hall.  After she unlocked the door, they walked in with Penny immediately sitting down with her head in her hands._

_“I’ll make you some tea.” Leonard said, but before he could, Penny interrupted him._

_“Not for me, Leonard.  I need wine.  Can you get me the bottle of_ _the Merlot_ _I have in the fridge, please?  It’s the unopened one on the top shelf.”_

_Leonard kept his mouth shut as he opened door and found the bottle of Charles Shaw Merlot, aka Two Buck Chuck.  He found her corkscrew and starting turning the top, breaking a sweat while he was doing it.  For a cheap bottle of wine, opening it was a pain in the ass._

_After about a minute of struggle, he got the wine open.  After he poured her a glass, he sampled it before scrunching his face in disgust.  Forcing himself to swallow, he brought the glass to Penny, who promptly tipped it back.  Grabbing the bottle, she poured another glass and sipped it before she held it in her hands._

_He watched her for several minutes as she just stared into space when not wiping away an errant tear while drinking her wine without a flinch.  Deciding she needed some quiet time, he took the two steps into her kitchen to boil some water for tea.  Just as he put the full kettle she kept there for him on the stove, he heard her._

_“Why did I do it, Leonard?  Why in the hell did something that mean come out of my mouth?”_

_“Well—“ Leonard started to say before he was interrupted._

_Penny had her head in one hand as she continued her thoughts.  “I mean, for crying out loud.  Every time she tried to apologize today, what did I do?  Instead of simply accepting her apology, I treated her like, what was it Sheldon said?   Oh yeah, like ‘gum on my shoe’.  Why was I such a bitch?” Penny lamented._

_“Maybe—“_

_“Why in the hell would I say that to my friend?  It’s something she’s very sensitive about.  When Bernadette made that comment about her sexuality after she blamed Amy for her wet T-shirt photo shoot being canceled, I reamed her a new one.”_

_“Perhaps—“_

_Penny set her wine down and rubbed her face.  “Yes, sometimes she’s annoying, but in the end, she’s always been there when I needed her.  I know how much my shit stinks, so why did I act sooooooo…bitchy?”_

_Not wanting to be interrupted again, Leonard merely stood and watched his fiancée, who merely looked down at the floor._

_Penny waited for a response, but when she heard nothing, she looked over to her fiancé.  “Leonard, aren’t you going to say something?  All you’re doing is standing there.”_

_The physicist sighed in frustration.  “Well, maybe you should just give her time.”_

_Penny looked at him like he was nuts.  “That’s it?  No words of wisdom?  Sweetie, as much as I love you, that is really shitty advice.”_

_The blonde grabbed her wine and chugged it down before setting her glass on the table.  “Maybe I just need to go to bed.  Coming?”_

_The tea kettle whistled at that moment.  “In a few, Honey.  I’m going to have some tea before bed.” Leonard replied._

_“Okay.”  Penny got up and kissed Leonard before belching.  “Good night, Sweetie.  She squeezed his hand.  “Thanks for trying to make me feel better.”_

_Leonard finally smiled.  “You’re welcome.”_

_“Wish it worked.” Penny muttered as she walked to her bedroom._

_Leonard’s smile fell as frustration befell him.  All his efforts to help Penny this evening were somehow belittled or thrown back in his face, but he knew she didn’t mean to dismiss him.  It was less than an hour ago that she had a fight with her best friend, so she needed a little consideration._

_But the bitter taste in his mouth from the last several minutes didn’t dissipate like it usually did.  Shaking it off, he walked into the living room and grabbed the half-full bottle and empty glass.  Deciding he didn’t want tea anymore, he put the dirty dishes in the sink and put the bottle in the fridge before turning off the lights._

_Walking into the darkened bedroom, he saw Penny on the bed with her eyes closed facing the wall.  Leonard stripped down to his T-shirt and boxers before getting under the covers.  Taking off his glasses, he got comfortable as he turned over to his side and spooned his fiancée.  He moved to take her hand and was happy when she grasped it in return._

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

            Back in the present, a defeated Leonard went into the bedroom and grabbed his phone.  After securing Penny’s apartment, he shuffled across the hall like a man on his final walk to the death chamber.

            His hand reached into his pocket for his keys when he remembered that when he accompanied Penny to her place, he left his keys in his apartment.

            He had another realization before he slowly looked down to see himself dressed in only his Batman boxers and undershirt.

_‘I have an IQ of 173, but somehow I forgot to get dressed.  Some genius I am.’_

            Not wanting to be caught in his underwear by one of their neighbors, he sent a text to Sheldon to let him in.  After no response, he tried calling and only got the voice mail.  After waiting three minutes, he got annoyed from Sheldon ignoring him out of spite and he knocked loudly to be let in. 

            When there was no response, he knocked on the door again.  “Sheldon, let me in!  I don’t have my keys!”

            He waited annoyed before he banged even louder, not caring anymore who heard him.  “Roommate Agreement Section Four.  Each roommate will let the other in any time with the exception of a zombie apocalypse, flesh eating bacteria, widespread contagious disease, or immediate death.  I’m not in the mood!”

             Leonard took a step back.  “Fine, pout all you want, Sheldon.  I’ll get Penny’s.”

             He took two steps before he remembered that he locked 4B’s door before leaving.

            “Son of a….” Leonard moaned.

             Resigned, he walked down to the ground floor and woke the super, who followed him upstairs while mumbling about  _“crazy youngsters out at all hours doing perverted things.”_

             After the super unlocked the door, Leonard turned to thank him, but the man was already down the landing heading to his apartment. 

             “Thanks.” Leonard muttered. 

              After letting himself in, he noted that Sheldon’s windbreaker wasn't in the usual spot.  Too tired and annoyed at his childish roommate to care, he merely walked past until he got to the other bedroom and pounded on the door.

             “Thanks a lot for letting me in, Sheldon!”

              Expecting his friend to open his door with a pithy retort, he walked to his bedroom, but there was none.  Concerned, he came back and knocked quietly.  “Sheldon?  Buddy?”

              Not getting an answer, he used the Roommate Emergency clause to open the door.  He was surprised to see Sheldon’s bed wrinkled, but not slept in.  Suddenly he realized where his friend was.

              “Of course, he’s probably with Amy.  How did he get there, though?” 

               Looking in Sheldon’s closet, he didn’t see his bus pants hanging in the closet, not seeing them folded in the hamper in the darkened room.  “He took the bus.  Duh.”

               Suddenly, he remembered why he was awake in his apartment after three in the morning.  Depressed again, he locked up, went into his bedroom, and laid down.  However, sleep eluded him as his thoughts drifted back his fiancée.

               Did Penny really want to get married?  Did she regret proposing to him after she was fired from  _Serial Apeist_?

               Penny was a very generous, caring person.  While he would try to focus on that trait of hers, sometimes she would go off in tangents where it felt to him she continued to hold him at arm’s length.  They were heading to the ultimate commitment, but getting her to talk about marriage plans was like pulling teeth as she was focused on her new career.  The few times he tried to set a date, she always pulled the jailed brother card.  The first time he was scheduled for parole, he was caught making homemade alcohol and it was denied.  Now the next date was in November 2016.

               If he doesn’t speak up, things could fester to the point of no return, but what would happen if he did ask her?

               Even worse, he had a secret burning a hole in his stomach for almost two years.  A secret that has ate at him every day since IT happened. 

               He hoped coming home early from the North Sea would get rid of the guilt, but it was a waste.  After his return, he worked extra hard to be a better boyfriend to Penny, but it almost seemed to annoy her at times.  He had his moments when he debated telling her, but always decided it was a burden that he needed to carry alone.

               Of course, Sheldon would never do anything that stupid to his girlfriend.  Probably wouldn’t even know what to do if he was in that situation…or even if he had the chance with Amy.  Everyone knew Sheldon didn’t have hormones.

               As much as it pained him to admit it, sometimes, he was jealous of his best friend’s love life.

               Leonard couldn’t help comparing his relationship to Sheldon and Amy’s.  While he had to admit that Penny and Sheldon shared a few tendencies to be self-centered, he noted of late that his best friend seemed to make more of an effort to put Amy first, even though that was a work in progress for the theoretical physicist.

                Even more, Sheldon seemed almost…nice when Amy was around…even smiling in a non-mocking manner.  The neurobiologist had a way of bringing his roommate around to a more generous place, almost selfless at times.  Hell, he even told her he loved her in front of others.

                Most of all, the two had a lot in common and truly seemed to enjoy one another’s company.  However, it was the opposite with Penny and himself as the two barely had any common interests besides sex and sometimes getting Sheldon’s goat.

                Not wanting to dwell anymore, he attempted to sleep, but frustration was all he could find as he tossed and turned for the next two hours.  Resigned, he got up and made a pot of coffee before he grabbed his  _Babylon 5_  box set and put in a disc from Season Two, giggling as he knew that Sheldon hated the show and hated even more watching something out of order.

                After two episodes, though, the pettiness lost its value as he realized that he wasn’t paying attention.  Even worse, every time he saw Bruce Boxleitner, he thought of Melissa Gilbert, which led him to  _Little House on the Prairie_ , leading to Amy, Sheldon, then Penny again.

                After trying to find other things to watch, he turned off the television in frustration.  Heading to his desk, he turned on his laptop and opened up the document with the paper he co-wrote with Sheldon.  However, he didn’t get far as he became distracted over the events of the last fifteen hours.  When he looked at the clock, he saw it was just after in the morning.

                Fed up, Leonard pulled away from the computer in a huff.  “I’ll take a shower and go to the university.  Sheldon will just have to find a ride there himself later today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, the answer to the burning question of....how did Sheldon get to Amy's apartment?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the delay, folks. Sadness about Shamy and burnout caused me to take a break for a bit. I realized that I had a duty to keep the Shamy love going until they get back together (we know they will, folks.) and I know many have been waiting for this chapter, so I needed to do it right.
> 
> At least I had BONES on Thursdays to keep the depression down a bit. For my fans of "The Plan", I have been working on the final chapter, but you know I'm a perfectionist. Plus I've been binge watching Thursday's episode over the weekend. Loving Jessica and Aubrey and getting some FF ideas for the future as well as for B & B, of course. Also, never going to look at a tape measure the same again after Booth and Brennan's "negotiations".
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own BBT but I do love my Shamy! I want to take them out to play, but need them back together ASAP!

_ "Penny! What are you doing here?!" _

_             Surprised, Penny shook off shock from falling backwards as she realized who had opened Amy's door. "Sheldon, what are you doing here?" _

            Sheldon crossed his arms as he looked at Penny with derision.  “Not that it’s any of your business Ms. Nosy Pants, but I’m here as an invited guest of MY girlfriend.  Now, what brought you slinking over here before your usual rising time?  Did my roommate get tired of hearing you cry about how sorry you were for your behavior last night?”

            Penny grimaced as she remembered her attitude with Leonard before and after their fight.  Sitting up off the floor, she rubbed her eyes to get the sleep out of them before finally standing up.  She grabbed her items and purse that miraculously wasn’t stolen in her sleep before returning to stand helplessly at the door.

 

* * *

 

           In the kitchen, Amy listened to the two longtime friends, her pleasant morning now ruined.  As a scientist, her pragmatic side was telling her that she needed to go to Penny and listen to what her bestie had to say.  When all the facts were gathered, she then could make a determination on what to do next, which usually meant blind forgiveness.  As she had told Penny recently, if it wasn’t for Sheldon’s friends, she might have ended up joining a cult.

            Another side, the illogical one, told her to stay where she was as she wasn’t sure she could face Penny yet.  She was still feeling raw from the cutting words and unforgiving attitude she received the night before.  Perhaps she needed to give the other woman a taste of her own medicine. 

            After about twenty seconds of indecision, there was only thing to do.

            Pragmatism and logic could suck it.

            Walking two steps to the island, she grasped the counter and continued to hide.

 

* * *

 

Sheldon’s Vulcan hearing detected faint movement in the kitchen.  Feeling the need to protect his vixen, the physicist took one step closer to his quarry.

            “So, Penny, what pathetic apology have you cooked up for Amy today?  It must be more than usual if you felt the need to bring over what is probably stale donuts with gas station coffee at,”

            ‘I didn’t bring stale--”

            The physicist looked over at the clock.  “6:21 AM as a gesture of your guilt in an attempt to appease my cute little lump of wool.”

            Penny momentarily forgot the interruption as she realized what the time was.  “What?  I fell asleep in your hallway for almost two hours?”

            “OH!  So you decided to wake her up in the middle of the night to ease your guilt?  I see.”

            “No, I didn’t—okay, yes, but…”

Hidden, Amy heard  Penny stutter at her boyfriend’s cross examination.  Suddenly, it occurred to her that as much as she loved Sheldon defending her, it was time to confront her own battles.  Pushing her fears aside, she straightened her spine before walking with purpose to the door.

            “No, yes.  What’s the matter, Penny?  Ankyloglossia got your tongue?” Sheldon retorted.

            “What?” Penny said confused while she was mentally playing back the medical terminology she had to bone up on for her new job.

            “As a glorified drug dealer to doctor’s offices, you should know that now, Penny.  It means tongue tied.”

            “I know that!"  She said unconvincingly.  "I knew the time, but  I needed to talk to Ames.  I-I…”

            “I…I…what, Bestie?” Amy said as she came out from behind Sheldon.  She felt a small satisfaction at seeing the blonde at her door all rumpled. 

            “ “I-I came here to talk to you because I was a brat.”

            “That’s putting it mildly.”  Sheldon retorted.  “Your behavior last night to Amy was only part of the uncalled for commentary from the  _Arachis hypogaea_ gallery we have had to deal with for the last almost five years.”

            “Huh?” Penny asked confused.

            “The peanut gallery, Penny.” Amy stated.  “Sheldon is referring to our circle of friends and the general consensus of our relationship as spoken through jokes and comments by ALL of you.”

            “Oh.”  Penny said apologetically before she shrank back from the glares she was getting from the pajama clad couple.  She didn’t know what was worse, being the object of scorn from the woman ahead of her or the man behind her.

            “Oh?  That’s all you have to say, Penny?  Oh!” Sheldon said with a sneer.

            Penny looked down both sides of the hallway, making sure there wasn’t an audience.  “Amy, can I come in?  I don’t want to wake up your neighbors.”

            “No, you may not. “ Sheldon immediately replied.

            Amy looked at what Penny held in her arms and was shocked.  Suddenly, she remembered how awful she felt at Penny’s cold shoulder after she attempted to make amends last night.  While it made her feel better initially to give as good as she got, now it made her feel petty and small.  Deciding it was time to move forward, she decided to step in.

            “Sheldon, its fine.”

            The physicist turned to his girlfriend.  “But, Amy—“

            “Penny, come in.”

            “Thank you.”  Penny said meekly before walking in with her items while Sheldon shut the apartment door.  She put the items down on her coffee table before turning back to the couple.  Scared to see the blank slate on Amy’s face, she gulped before looking down.

            Sheldon turned to his girlfriend.  “Amy!”  He whispered loudly.  “As your boyfriend, I have to defend your honor.  Obviously, I can’t challenge a girl to a fight like I did Wil Wheaton, but I’m a Texan and I have to protect you from people who do my woman wrong.”

            Amy smiled at Sheldon’s words.  He was awkward, but he was all hers.  Taking his hand, she gazed up into her boyfriend’s blue eyes and felt immediate comfort and love.  “I appreciate what you’re doing, Sheldon, I really do.  However, some things I should fix myself, okay?”

            “But—“

            “Sheldon…”  Amy said.

            Sheldon knew her  _‘Final Warnin_ g’ tone well as the one from when he went to apologize after being an ass in her lab a few years back.   Remembering he was a genius, he merely bit his lip and nodded his head once in understanding.

Seeing that she made her point with Sheldon, Amy walked over and stood in front of her Bestie.  “While not the most tactful, my boyfriend has a point.  What brings you here?  Surely it wasn’t to bring us breakfast for a pharmaceutical sales pitch.”

            Penny inhaled before speaking, knowing how thin the tightrope she was walking on.  “Well, I was a bitch yesterday.  What I said was shitty, so I ran and got stuff to bring here so I could tell you that I was sorry.”

            “I would say more than sh—poopy like!  Perhaps my roommate puts up with it from you, but Amy shouldn’t!”

            Amy saw Penny’s face drop before she turned to her boyfriend.  Hearing him defend her honor was a major turn on and she wanted nothing more than to jump him.  However, she needed to clear the air with her friend.  Her plans for Sheldon would have to wait until later.

            “Sheldon, why don’t you take a shower and head over to your apartment?  I’m sure Leonard may be getting ready now to head to CalTech to work on your paper.”

            While part of him wanted to stay merely to get his Vixen into the shower and help her get clean, his protective side trumped any dirty thoughts as he didn’t want to be hurt again.  “But—“

            Amy took her boyfriend’s hand. “Sheldon, I love that you don’t want to leave me,” she said with a knowing look as she had a good idea what was on his mind, “but, I need to talk to Penny and you should meet up with Leonard.”

            Sheldon caught the look his vixen was giving him as the meaning of her last sentence sunk in.  Feeling a sense of dread, he stammered.  “But…but, why can’t Penny meet up with—“

            Amy saw Penny swallow and recognized the holding back of tears.  “Sheldon, Leonard I think would want to work with his collaborator.  To do that, his collaborator has to go back to the apartment they share before going to their university.  Need I say more?”

            Knowing he was defeated, he gave his neurobiologist a kiss on the lips.  “As you wish, Amy, but this,” he whispered while looking her up and down, “is not over yet.”

            Amy smiled.  “I’m counting on it, Doctor Cooper.”  Seeing his breathing increase, she took a step closer and lowered her voice.  “Go face your music and we’ll have Date Night here tonight.”

            Mollified, Sheldon starts to head back.  However, when he gets to the entry way, he turns back and walked until he is standing front of his other friend.

            “Penny, I love you like a sister, but if you ever hurt Amy again, our friendship will be severed permanently.  No bribery with trains, Doctor Who, or Spock napkins will change my mind.  Do I make myself clear?”

             _‘He really loves her.’_  Penny realized.  “Yes, Sheldon.”

            Satisfied, Sheldon moved around the blonde to give another kiss to his girlfriend to Penny’s shock before walking back towards the hallway.

            When she saw he was gone, Amy turned to Penny.  “You really fell asleep outside my apartment two hours ago?”

            Stunned by the sight of Sheldon Cooper kissing his girlfriend…twice, in front of another person, it took a second before she registered Amy’s question.  Turning to the other woman, she gulped.               “Y-yeah, I did.  It took another ten minutes or so to get here because I got rerouted because some dillhole ran into a cell tower nearby.”

            “You went over to the coffee shop I love across town?  The one I know you hate because they don’t have as many selections as Starbucks?”

            “Yeah.”

            Amy took a deep breath.  “What did you get?”

            Grateful for the small thaw in Amy’s ice, she gave a small smile.  “I got me a regular coffee with creamer packets since they don’t have skim milk and you the Chi Latte with whole milk.  I also got us a couple of plain croissants with the grape jelly on the side like you prefer since you hate the Smuckers packets.  The person working said they couldn’t do that, but then I threatened to tell the owner that he always offers me free pastries if I will let him touch my boobs.  Needless to say, I got what I needed really quick.”

            Amy snorted in laughter for a moment before putting her game face back on.  While in the past, she let Penny get away with anything, she couldn’t this time.

            “You really hurt me yesterday, Penny.”

            Penny inhaled for a moment, knowing she couldn’t defend herself.  “I know.”

            Motioning for Penny to sit on the couch, she was surprised when instead, Penny took the beverages to the kitchen.  “What are you doing?”

            Penny opened the microwave.  “I need to heat these up.  They’re probably ice cold by now.”

            Needing a few minutes to gather her thoughts, Amy conceded before following her.  “I’ll grab some plates and silverware.”

            “Oh, thanks.”  Penny said before she realized something.  “Shit, I didn’t get anything for Sheldon.  I’m sorry, Ames.  I didn’t think about him being here.”

            Penny realized what she said.  “Not that he shouldn’t be here.  Damn, I’m messing up again.  I mean—“

            “It’s okay, Penny.  We have already eaten.”

            Penny realized what Amy meant.  “I forgot.  Oatmeal day.”

            The girls smiled wan smiles before finishing their tasks.  When done, they walked together to the couch.  Amy knew she had to finish what she needed to say.  Gathering her thoughts, she proceeded.

            “You know I’ve been sensitive to my issues with Sheldon over the years.  It was bad enough that you wouldn’t accept my apology, but then you threw that in my face.”

            “I know, Ames.  I’m so sorry—“

            “Let me finish, Penny.” Amy said firmly.

            Penny knew what was coming and was ready to face the music.  “Of course.”

 

* * *

 

           Sheldon had only his robe on as he exited Amy’s room and headed to the hall closet to get a towel.  He closed the door when he heard the girls talk.

             _“You know I’ve been sensitive to my issues with Sheldon over the years.  It was bad enough that you wouldn’t accept my apology, but then you threw that in my face.”_

_             “I know, Ames.  I’m so sorry—“ _

_             “Let me finish, Penny.” Amy said firmly. _

            Sheldon was eavesdropping and he knew it.  However, he had a need to make sure Penny wouldn’t run ramshod over his Amy again.  Shamelessly, he moved closer to the entry way and listened.

_ “Penny, when we first met, I was so excited to have friends.  I was willing to ignore jokes about my relationship with Sheldon because I didn’t want to go back to being alone.” _

 

* * *

 

            In the living room, Amy debated her words before deciding directness was the way to go. 

            “Now, I know that I deserve people in my life who appreciate me.”

            “You do, Amy, more than anyone I know.” Penny said with sincerity.

             “Thank you for that.  With that said, I know I hurt you yesterday, Penny, and for that I’ll always be sorry and I’m relieved that you’ve forgiven me.  Last night, you hurt me.  You’ve apologized and I’ve forgiven you.  However, starting now, I will not tolerate any more cracks about Sheldon, my looks, or below the belt comments spoken in anger.  If this happens again, Bestie, there won’t be another chance for apologies.”

            Penny looked down for a moment before looking back up at her friend.  “Ames, I really overreacted when I found out about the experiment on Leonard and me.  You weren’t trying to insinuate I was an idiot, but I got all super sensitive about it.  I’m so sorry for my pissy attitude yesterday when you tried to apologize and for what I said.  Real friends don’t use the other’s sore spots to score points or act like a child when their friend tries to make amends.”

            Amy saw that Penny understood.  “Thank you, Penny.”

            Penny moved forward as did Amy before the girls came together in a hug.  After a moment, they broke apart and each wiped tears from their eyes.

            “Ames, you say I’m your bestie.  I need to tell you though, that you’re my bestie, too.  I don’t know what I would do without you.  I know I met Bernie first, but you are always there for me when I need a friend and really accept me for who I am.”   

            “Penny, I really don’t think—“

            “It’s true, Amy.  Without your support, I wouldn’t have taken the chance to go work for Bernadette’s company or push past my comfort zone.”

            “I don’t do that much.”

            “You do and you know it.”  Penny said firmly.  “One more thing.  Ames, I’m also to do what I can to make sure the others keep their mean comments to themselves from now on, especially Howard.”

 

* * *

 

             _“One more thing.  Ames, I’m also to do what I can to make sure the others keep their mean comments to themselves from now on, especially Howard.”_

            Sheldon felt a sense of relief at Penny’s words.  Suddenly, Meamaw’s lessons about eavesdropping on conversations being rude pushed his curiosity aside.  Remembering the Southern gentleman he was, he moved to enter the bathroom when the next words spoken stunned him.

             _“Bernie, too.  I’m still mad about the mean things she said when she lost out on the centerfold deal. It was uncalled for.”_

_             “She took her frustrations out on me Bestie using my Achilles Heel, that’s all.” _

_             “I don’t care.  I know I make fun at times, but she took it too far.  She’s been doing that a lot more with everyone lately.” _

_“Penny, Bernadette’s comments to me over the years on how it’s my fault Sheldon won’t be intimate with me are just because she’s doesn’t know him like you do.”_

_             “Ames, Bernie saying that no one wanted to see you express your sexuality because she thought your one email changed that science journal’s decision to show her in a wet t-shirt wasn’t because of that and you know it.  That was not the first time she hinted that it’s your fault you and Sheldon haven’t had sex yet.” _

           As Sheldon processed what he heard, he felt his blood reach 373.15 degrees Kelvin.  Holding his fists together until the knuckles were white, he kept his comments to himself.

            Pushing aside what Meamaw told him, he continued to listen.

 

* * *

 

__ “I know Penny.” Amy said before sipping her latte.  “That’s why I think I need to set ground rules with Bernadette also when they get back from Florida.”

            “She still hasn’t apologized for that, has she, Ames?  You need to confront her about that.  I know she lashes out when she is hurt and frustrated, but it’s not a cool thing to do.”

            Amy gave a knowing look to her friend.  “No, it isn’t, is it Penny?”

            “I deserved that.”  Penny said with a laugh before she became serious again.  “Amy, do you want me to talk to Bernadette?  I mean, I got through to her that night at our company party, but if she still hasn’t apologized for what she said and is slipping back into bitchy mode, I can set her straight.”

            “No, I will do it.”

            Penny thought for a moment.  “Have you told Sheldon?”

            Amy shook her head.  “No, he doesn’t need to know.”

 

* * *

 

            Hidden in the hallway, Sheldon’s face gradually reddened as he continued to listen.

             _“Ames, tell him.  You’re his girlfriend.  If he goes after Bernie with half the Texan he went after me with last night, trust me when I say she will never say another unkind to you again.  He’s scary when he gets fired up.”_

_             “Oh no, what did he say to you?” _

_             “Nothing that I didn’t need to hear.” _

__ Amy wouldn’t let up.  “What did he say, Penny?”

            Realizing that it needed to be said, the blonde relented.  “The truth.  Sometimes, I’m really jealous of you, Amy.”

            Amy gave her a look of incredulity.  “What on earth for?  You’re beautiful and talented.  Your alabaster skin and hazel eyes alone bring men to their knees.  Your street smarts alone put ours to shame.”

            “Amy!  Yeah, I’ve got looks and live in the real world sometimes.  Big deal.  Amy, “ Penny said with pride.  “You’ve traveled the world and been recognized internationally.  You’re smarter than I will ever be.  I’m ashamed to say I’ve had to use my boobs more than my brain to get ahead in the world.  More than that, you and Sheldon have an awesome relationship.”

            Amy looked at her with shock.  “What about you and Leonard?  You two are getting married.  He looks at you with such adoration it’s almost enough to put someone into a diabetic coma.”

            Penny attempted to smile to hide the tears forming.  “Well, at least you and Sheldon connect on a level Leonard and I never will.  It seems like all we have in common is sex.  Seriously, Ames, sometimes all it takes is just opening my blouse and Leonard is all like, ‘ _I love and forgive you’_.”

            Penny grabbed one of the napkins on the table.  “Will that always be the case?  Do we have what it takes to last?  I love him, Amy, so much.  I don’t think it’s going to be enough this time.” 

            Amy was confused.  “Penny, what are you talking about?”

            Penny shook her head.  “Never mind, Amy.  The point of me being here is to apologize for my shitty behavior.  It’s not that important.”

            Amy knew better when she saw Penny’s hand start to shake.  “Yes it is, Bestie.  You’re shaking and you can’t look at me in the eye.  Listen, Sheldon’s in the bathroom.  It’s just us.  Talk to me.”

            Penny saw the sincerity on her friend’s face.  “Well, after Sheldon gave me the business, I cried, so Leonard and I went back to my place.”

 

* * *

 

            Behind the wall, Sheldon leaned against it.  He gulped in guilt as he knew he should step away, but for some reason, he couldn’t get his feet to work.

             _‘Maybe I can help Leonard.  It’s what best friends do, right?’_

            Feeling justified, Sheldon relaxed to eavesdrop.

             _‘When we got back, he gave me wine to relax me and tried to help me, but I was so focused on myself, I didn’t listen to him.  We went to bed, but I kept tossing and turning before I finally started to cry again before three.  Leonard was so sweet, giving me Kleenex and stuff, but I got so focused on apologizing to you I got a wild hair in my ass to come over here.  He tried to tell me to wait for a few hours because you didn’t want to talk to me, but I didn’t care.  We argued…”_

_             “Bestie, what happened?” _

_             “He said I was only interested in myself and my needs.  Instead of hearing to what he had to say, I stormed out.” _

_             “Penny, I’m sure this will blow over.” _

 

* * *

 

            Penny sniffled before continuing.  “No, not this time.  I’ve really made him mad, Ames.  He deserves so much better than me.  He needs a girl who is more than tits and ass.  Someone who can understand his sciency and science fiction stuff.  Sheldon tried to teach me a long time ago, but I couldn’t get it.  I mean, I’m lucky he didn’t meet some cool, smart girl scientist out on the North Sea a couple years back.”

            “Of course not, Penny.  He is besotted with you.  Frankly, I think he’s proud of the fact that you have assets to show off.”

__ “Sure, my breasts were one of his secret weapons when he tried for tenure, but besides that, what do I offer him?  Sometimes, I get so scared that one day after we get married, he’ll see that he needs someone with more in common with him that I have and less selfish.  I want to marry him so badly, Ames, but at the same time, I don’t because maybe if we stay the way we are, he won’t know any better.”

__ Suddenly the tears started to fall on Penny’s face as the gravity of her fight with Leonard finally sunk in.  “Oh God.”

            Amy moved to hug her friend, who finally broke down.

 

* * *

 

            Realizing that he was invading his friend’s privacy, Sheldon moved away and retreated to the bathroom to take his shower.  Once he got in, he contemplated all that he had learned in the last several minutes and plotted his course of action.

            For Bernadette, after a sufficient recovery time for the loss of Mrs. Wolowicz, a strong verbal lashing for her mean words to Amy, three strikes, and a Sheldon class.  Their lack of coitus was all on him and his fears.  Amy was a beautiful and sensuous woman who didn’t deserve anyone’s scorn.

            For his best friend and his fiancée, he would try to help fix the widening chasm that had seemed to develop between them.  If losing Penny would affect Leonard like losing Amy would affect him, he would be destroyed.  Several years ago, he would welcome this as he would have his best friend back to himself.  Now, he knew that would be selfish.  Also, the annoying, pop culture loving blonde grew on him to the point she was also one of his best friends.

            Only to himself would he admit that at times he envied how easy it was for Leonard and Penny to express their love for each other, no fear of failure to the other. 

            Now, he knew better.

            After mentally listing his tasks for the day, he grabbed the soap and finished his shower.

 

* * *

 

            When Amy sensed Penny calmed down, she pulled away from her friend, who started to yawn before a hiccup kicked in.

            “Sorry.  I came here to apologize to you and instead I bawl like a baby.  Some friend I am.”

             "No worries.  That's what besties are for."

            Suddenly, the blonde leaned her head onto her arm on the back of the couch.  “Thanks for being my friend, Amy.”  She said before being interrupted with a strong hiccup.  “Ow!  That—hic!”

            “Let me get you a guaranteed cure.” Amy said as she rushed to the kitchen. 

            Penny watched as pulled what looked like a set of measuring spoons out of a drawer before pulling a regular spoon out of another drawer.  What Penny saw next made her eyes bulge.  Before she could say anything, Amy returned with a satisfied smile on her face.

            “Ames, is that what I think it is?”

            “Yes, sugar will overpower the vagus nerve, causing your body to, well, forget the hiccups, per se.”

            Penny made a face.  “Where did you learn that?”

            “Seventh grade science glass.  Now do it.”

            Penny swallowed it with a face.  Sugar in candy was one thing, but straight was another.  She grabbed her now cold coffee and chased it down.  “Ugh.”

            Amy saw the time and mentally calculated.  “Sheldon has been in there an awful long time.  He always brags about his 7.5 minute showers and being ready to go in twenty one minutes.  It’s been almost thirty minutes.  I better go see what’s taking him so long.”

            As Amy got up, Sheldon came out into the living room, hair combed but wet, ready for the day.  “Sorry for the delay.  Did you hens settle everything?”

            “We did, Sheldon.  Thanks.”

            The physicist smiled.  “Well, I’ll be going.  There’s science waiting for me to discover and solve.”

            Penny watched Sheldon get his windbreaker and bag, but Amy remaining stationary.  “Amy, aren’t you going to get dressed and take him back?”

            Sheldon and Amy looked at each other before he responded.  “I’m taking the bus.  Amy needs to get ready for her day.  To keep her from that would be rude.”

            Tired, Penny curled up in the couch.  “Okay.”

            After the couple kissed, Sheldon left and Amy closed the door.  “I’m going to get in the shower, Bestie.  Why don’t you stay here for a while and relax?  You look exhausted.”

            Feeling relaxed, Penny got comfortable.  “I’m fine.” She said before yawning.  “I’ll just watch TV and leave when you do.”

            “Sure.” Amy said before retreating to her bedroom.

            Content that things were going to be okay, Penny grabbed a pillow and turned on the television, but fell asleep with the remote in her hand.  She was only out for a minute when she suddenly opened her eyes.

            “Wait!  How the hell did Sheldon get here?” 

            Hearing no answer, she quickly turned off the appliance and headed for the bedroom.

             _“Ames, Sheldon wasn’t wearing his bus pants when he left.  Now what gives?”_

 

* * *

 

            Back at Apartment 4A, Leonard got out of the shower and quickly towel dried off.  He hoped to at least be a little bit more awake, but he couldn’t even have that.

            He knew he was right what he said to Penny, but he wondered if he could have picked a better time.  Yes, Penny could sometimes not think before she does, but he also knew just how horrible she felt about what happened yesterday.  All she wanted to do was to make up for what she did.

            Penny didn’t like his sci-fi stuff, but she was accepting of it for the most part.  He still wasn’t allowed to wear his Wookiee jacket to the mall, but she always took him out to celebrate May 4th as well as donned Princes Leia’s gold bikini for more than one roleplay sex fantasy for him.  She always made an effort to include him in her interests but didn’t bug him when he decided he didn’t like it.

            Instead of being understanding about her insecurities regarding her lack of education and letting her judge if she wanted to go back, he went behind her back to get college brochures and rewrite her college papers when she did finally attempt to go back.

            He used every dumb blonde stereotype when he had her emphasize her sex appeal to attempt to get tenure instead of letting his work speak for itself. 

            It wasn’t Penny who pushed and pushed their relationship too fast the first time they dated.  It was him due to his insecurities about being with a girl like her.  He’s the one who got insecure about her British classmate to the point he embarrassed the hell out of her.

            He then thought about Sheldon and Amy’s relationship.  Even when his best friend hurt Amy, it wasn’t to be malicious, but from fear.  They seemed to have common interests, but accepted the differences in the other.  Their coupling sure as hell wasn’t conventional, but it seemed to suit them.  Wasn’t that what was most important?

            Isn’t part of loving someone accepting them for who they are and not what you want them to be? 

            A small stab of jealousy hit him as he realized that perhaps the other couple had the better relationship.  The realization hurt him, but fatigue and indecision about what to do about Penny made it worse.

            Suddenly, he wiped his face.  “Ugh, just thinking about all this gives me a headache.  I’ll get some work done and then I’ll be able to figure out what to do next.”

            He came out of the bedroom exhausted but dressed.  After brushing his teeth, he brewed coffee while gathering his things together.  He poured the coffee into a to go cup and closed the lid. For a moment, he contemplated breakfast, but his stomach was too agitated to consider eating. 

            Grabbing his computer bag, he headed over to the door.  When he looks into the bowl for his car keys, he doesn’t see anything.

            Frantic, he looks all over the floor before realization hits.

            In the hallway of the fourth floor at 2311 Los Robles Ave, only one thing can be heard at 6:54 AM.

             _“SHELDON COOPER, I’M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to QB Maja and Hazelra7 who gave me their unvarnished opinion when I was burned out. Also thanks QB for the second read.

**Author's Note:**

> Some may comment that Barry's dialogue is normal, but with the effort it would have taken to change the phonetics of the dialogue, it was too much of a pain. Besides, I think readers have enough of imagination to think of Elmer Fudd.
> 
> For the purists, please forgive me and hope you enjoyed the rest.


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